The All Blacks‘ loose forward stocks have taken a hit, with three players ruled out of next week’s test against Japan.
Ethan Blackadder (calf), Luke Jacobson (fractured thumb) and Dalton Papali’i (upper hamstring) will not be available to travel with the squad on Thursday due to injury.
That has created an opportunity for 21-year-old Hurricanes and Wellington loose forward Peter Lakai, and 23-year-old Chiefs and Taranaki lock Josh Lord to come into the squad. For Lakai, it means a potential test debut next Saturday in Yokohama.
Jacobson has played off the bench in the last three tests of the Rugby Championship and started against Fiji in San Diego while Blackadder and Papali’i have started tests earlier in the season, only to drop down the pecking order behind Wallace Sititi and Sam Cane in recent squads.
“This is hugely disappointing for Ethan, Luke and Dalton, but we know they will be working on recovering well with a view to making themselves available again as soon as possible,” All Blacks coach Scott Robertson said.
