Rugby: Injuries foil likely match-ups

Sonny Bill Williams is tackled by Dan Carter during round 10 at AMI Stadium. Photo / Martin Hunter

What was shaping as a showdown between two explosive attacks might now be a little less pleasing on the eye.

The Chiefs yesterday suffered a serious blow ahead of tonight's clash with the Hurricanes with both Sonny Bill Williams and James Lowe ruled out through injury.

The withdrawals will not only rob fans who have eagerly awaited the meeting between Super Rugby's top two sides but also deny the All Black selectors a chance to check out a couple of key individual battles.

And, in combination with the bad weather hitting the capital, the Chiefs losing an outstanding attacking duo may completely change the match.

Williams was a late scratching for the third time this season, named on Thursday in the run-on XV but suffering a back strain that is expected to keep him out of action for a week. He will be replaced at second-five by Anton Lienert-Brown and, with all due respect to the New Zealand Under-20s utility, Ma'a Nonu has gone from facing a serious rival for his All Blacks jersey to a man with only 79 minutes to his name this season.

Lowe, meanwhile, has succumbed to a shoulder ailment that has plagued the wing throughout the past fortnight, seeing Bryce Heem promoted from the bench and Marty McKenzie brought into the matchday 23. It's an especially cruel blow for Lowe, who was looking forward to testing himself against a pair of players he called "the two best wingers in the world".

And Steven Hansen would have been a keen observer of Lowe's performance against Julian Savea and Cory Jane, given the 22-year-old has played his way into the All Blacks frame during a breakout campaign.