Manasa Mataele has joined fellow Crusaders wing George Bridge on the long-term injury list with a pectoral tear.
Mataele had surgery on Thursday, the day after Bridge ruptured a pectoral muscle training with the All Blacks in Auckland, and will miss the rest of Canterbury’s Mitre 10 Cup campaign.
Bridge is expected to be out for up to six months, while the exact time-frame for Mataele’s return is unclear, but both could be unavailable for the start of Super Rugby next year.
Mataele’s pectoral tear is his second serious injury within two years, after he tore the ACL in his right-knee playing for the Crusaders in February last year.
He sustained his latest injury against Wellington a fortnight ago, although Canterbury initially believed it wouldn’t sideline him for long.
“Initially he presented really well, and we thought it was just a low grade thing. But further investigation revealed something a little bit more sinister, so he’s had that repaired this week and, by all accounts, it’s gone well,” Canterbury co-coach Mark Brown said.
It’s another blow for the already dinged up red and blacks, who have been forced to pluck players from club rugby and blood a plethora of rookies through their 3-2 start to the campaign.
Last week against the Turbos in Palmerston North, six players from the champion Canterbury under-19 side featured.
