Double injury blow deepens Wallabies’ Bledis-woes
Len Ikitau has been ruled out of the second Bledisloe Cup match in Sydney having suffered a concussion in the opener in Auckland on Saturday night.
Ikitau came from the field half an hour into the match at Eden Park and did not return.
Len Ikitau has been ruled out of the second Bledisloe Cup match with a concussion. AP
It forced coach Les Kiss to switch Isaac Henry and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii into the midfield roles, which they will likely reprise in Sydney with Hunter Paisami still suspended.
The Wallabies eventually went down 50-19 to extend the Bledisloe drought at least another year.
An ankle injury for Jordan Petaia has made it two Wallabies already ruled out of the second clash next Saturday afternoon. Corey Toole and Kadin Pritchard have been added to the squad.
But the All Blacks and coach Dave Rennie will also head into the second match with a revised squad, with reserve hooker Ausufo Aumua ruled out with his own concussion, and winger Leroy Carter with a high ankle sprain.
Carter suffered the injury scoring a try in the second half as he was tackled by back-rower Rob Valetini in what Rennie described as a hip-drop.
World Rugby this week announced it would follow the NRL in outlawing the controversial tackle, as well as the knee-drop, but the ban does not come into effect until November 1.
Under the new rules, Valetini could have copped a suspension that might have stretched into the Wallabies' spring tour of Europe.
“It didn’t look good, sort of like a … hip-drop-type tackle,” Rennie said post-match.
“(He) landed on the back side of his ankle. I haven’t had a chance to talk to the doc yet, but it looked reasonably serious.”
Rennie added he was sure Veletini's move wasn't intentional. Rennie coached Valetini for several years when he was in charge of the Wallabies.
The Wallabies were on a six-game win streak heading into the Bledisloe opener, and trailed only 17-14 at half-time.
But the hosts piled on 33-5 in the second half to claim a 24th straight Bledisloe Cup.
Kiss said he didn’t believe the heavy loss would damage the Wallabies’ sense of belief.
“It’s like anything – if you get a knockback, you find out more about yourself, and that’s what we’ll do,” he said.
“We’ll work hard on what we have to do. Belief is created and sustained by not just wins and losses; they’re created by other things.
“These boys have a strong culture and a strong belief in themselves and a confidence about what they can do.”
