Despite the setback of missing these pivotal players, the All Blacks coach, Dave Rennie, remains optimistic with the return of several injured players. Speaking after a recent defeat to the Springboks, Rennie shared the status of his squad.
"Yeah, we'll pick a squad of 34. We've already had a little bit of a think around what that might look like, knowing that Luke Jacobson and Ardie, those sorts of guys, will be out,"
Rennie was particularly relieved about Lienert-Brown's condition, confirming it was not as severe as first feared. "Not sure. It’s a little MCL issue," Rennie noted regarding Lienert-Brown's knee. "We will find out whether there’s anything else there as well, so it's not an ACL, which is good."
The coach also revealed that the injury did not occur during the latter stages of the game. Lienert-Brown had to leave the pitch in the first half during the 43-28 loss to the Springboks, now forcing a shift in focus towards the forthcoming matches against Australia.
Rennie added some positive news about other players poised to make a comeback. "So Scott Barrett should be back in time for that as well, and people like Leicester Fainga’anuku, so you know we’ve lost a few, but we’ll get a few back, which is positive," he explained.
Despite the challenges, the team could see the return of Quinn Tupaea and Anton Segner, both of whom had to return home due to injuries earlier in the tour. Rennie expressed confidence in their recovery timelines:
"We’re confident that Quinn will be back in time for that, and Anton Segner should be pretty close,"
With the Bledisloe Cup on the horizon, the All Blacks are navigating through their injuries with a mix of veteran returns and strategic adjustments. The team remains a formidable competitor, ready to face the Wallabies with renewed vigor despite their recent challenges.
