Sam Whitelock will miss the Crusaders’ quarter-final against the Fijian Drua in Christchurch on Saturday night and head coach Scott Robertson is hoping his senior lock’s absence is only temporary.
Last weekend, Whitelock withdrew from the Crusaders’ 27-26 defeat to the Hurricanes at halftime due to an Achilles issue and he is having more tests on it this week.
The All Blacks veteran only recently returned from a layoff caused by the injury, which came on top of a hand injury earlier in the season.
He recently confirmed that this will be his final season with the Crusaders after announcing that he has signed a contract to play for French club Pau.
“He’s so important to us and so passionate,” Robertson said this morning. “He trains at 100% still every day he comes in. He’s a little frustrated but we hope he has a game or two before he goes.”
The Crusaders badly missed Whitelock’s experience as they let slip a 19-8 halftime lead in Wellington.
If the defending champions, who have never lost a Super Rugby playoff match at home, beat the Drua at Orangetheory Stadium, they will host the winner of tomorrow’s Blues v Waratahs quarter-final next weekend.
Whitelock played 80 minutes against the Waratahs on his return from the original Achilles issue and the fact it has flared up again will concern not only Robertson but also All Blacks head coach Ian Foster with fewer than 100 days remaining until the World Cup.
Three good news stories for the Crusaders, however, are the returns of prop Oli Jager to the starting line-up and halfback Willi Heinz and loose forward Ethan Blackadder to the reserves bench to play the Drua.
Jager has recovered from an infected knee, a complication which developed after his knee was sliced to the patella tendon by a sprig in a recent match.
Heinz’s return is timely given the Crusaders’ third halfback, Noah Hotham, is preparing to lead the New Zealand under-20s at the world championships in South Africa.
And thirdly, the Crusaders have missed Blackadder’s impact on both sides of the ball, with his return also likely to interest Foster.
“Hugely pleased for Ethan,” Robertson said. “The energy he brings at training and when he comes on to the field – we’ve missed him, we truly have.”
Robertson said the Crusaders had prepared for the attacking threats possessed by the Drua, who beat them in Fiji in a shock result earlier in the season.
“We’re really clear on what we’ve got to do,” he said. “We know what they will bring. They’ll play their footy, they’ve got a clear DNA and they’ll go back to it and they’re good at it. So, full respect to them.”
The Drua effectively qualified for their first quarter-final after beating the Reds in Suva last weekend.
“Everyone knew what was on the game for them. It felt like a final so they’ve had one already.”
As for the Crusaders’ perfect playoffs record at home, which now stands at 27-0, Robertson said: “It’s a record we’re proud of but it’s a record you earn through a good training week and a great mindset.”
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