SBW set to miss Waratahs clash, but Blues to welcome back scoring machine
They’re set to avoid facing Blues gun Sonny Bill Williams, but the Waratahs will now be confronted with the most dangerous attacking weapon in Super Rugby.
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Sonny Bill Williams is set to be ruled out of Saturday’s match against NSW with a knee injury, but the Tahs now face the most dangerous attacking weapon in the competition.
Winger Rieko Ioane, who has scored seven tries in his past three games, looks likely to start in the match at Eden Park despite coach Leon MacDonald saying he’d be rested from the game under the All Blacks’ rest policy.
With Blues winger Tanielu Tele’a receiving a four-week suspension, Ioane was spotted training with the side in Auckland on Tuesday.
Ioane was to have stood down from the Waratahs match as the All Blacks use a rest policy to prepare for the World Cup.
However, their rule that no player is allowed to feature in more than six straight games has an apparent loophole – a bye resets the count.
So with the Auckland franchise down a winger and seeking a fourth straight win, having had a bye in round three, the world’s most dangerous finisher looks set to take on a desperate Waratahs side.
The outlook is not so positive for centre Williams, however.
The offloading midfielder sustained a knee injury in last weekend’s win over the Stormers and New Zealand media report that he will likely be ruled out of Saturday’s showdown.
Ma’a Nonu, who started at inside centre last week, would retain his No. 12 jersey in that case.
The Blues have hit ominous form after starting the year with three straight defeats.
A two-point loss to the Crusaders in the first round was followed by defeats on their South African-Argentinian tour to the Sharks and Jaguares.
But they’ve since defeated the Sunwolves, Highlanders and Stormers to climb to third in the Kiwi conference – they managed only four wins through all of last season.
Like the Wallabies, top All Blacks stars must sit out two matches during the Super Rugby season but unlike Australia, the Kiwi players are also banned from all team trainings and meetings for the week they’re away.
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