Blues skipper to miss rest of playoffs, July All Blacks Tests

Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu’s knee injury will rule him out of the game for up to seven weeks.

A Blues statement this afternoon said Tuipulotu tore the medial ligament in his right knee during his team’s 36-5 Super Rugby quarter-final win over the Fijian Drua at Eden Park last night.

It means he will miss the rest of the Super Rugby season – the Blues play the Brumbies in a semifinal next Friday – and next month’s All Blacks Tests against England and Fiji.

Tuipulotu was in with an excellent chance of being named in Scott Robertson’s 32-man squad for the series following the departures of veteran locks Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick.

Dalton Papali’i will replace Tuipulotu as captain of the Blues – as he did last night – but the franchise will miss the 31-year-old’s power and leadership in the second row.

More on this topic

Super Rugby playoffs: Outstanding McKenzie displays All Black credentials

Playmaker's maturity in leading the Chiefs to a semifinal against the Hurricanes will be rewarded by the All Blacks, writes Patrick McKendry.

Rugby

June 9, 2024

'Tough words' - How Cotter set the tone for Blues' season

Loose forward Dalton Papali'i reveals the incoming head coach wrote out what he thought rival fans thought of the Blues - and it wasn't flattering.

Rugby

June 4, 2024

Tuipulotu started the Super Rugby season late due to a broken jaw suffered in pre-season.

He has been a big factor in the improvements to the Blues pack under new coach Vern Cotter.