Crusaders halfback Andrew Ellis and Chiefs first five-eighth Tasesa Lavea will miss the start of the Super 14 rugby season after suffering ankle injuries in pre-season matches during the weekend.
Ellis limped off in Friday's 55-33 win against the Hurricanes in Motueka and is expected to be outfor six weeks. If the All Black fails to recover in time for the start of the new season on February 15, coach Robbie Deans may have to use Tasman halfback Kahn Fotuali'i for their opening match against the Brumbies at home.
All Blacks first five Dan Carter and Reuben Thorne also suffered calf strains in the Hurricanes match and are likely to sit out the next pre-season match against the Western Force on Thursday. They may be available for the game against the Waratahs the following week. Lavea lasted only 20 minutes in the warm-up against the Highlanders in Invercargill on Saturday which the Chiefs won 36-24.
Coach Ian Foster said Lavea's injury looked "reasonably significant", and it depletes his already diminished stock of playmakers as Stephen Donald is still recovering from an ankle injury.
However Foster has a capable stand-in available in the form of former Otago and Highlander utility back Callum Bruce.
Deans and Foster had contrasting views on their matches, which were played under the new experimental law variations (ELVs).
"The immediate feedback from the players was that the game is definitely faster, but they all enjoyed it," Deans said. "It does appear that the new law variations should reward teams that are positive and play constructively."
Foster said he had a better understanding of the ELVs now and could go away and think about it.
"Certainly the ELVs were a bit different in terms of how it looked. It was a bit stop-start at times, with a lot of freekicks at the breakdowns and that's something we're going to have a look at - we seemed to give away too many for my liking," he said.
