New Zealand scrumhalf Cameron Roigard is the latest star to join the sidelines as the All Blacks’ injury list hit double digits this week.
Scott Robertson will name his squad for the opening two rounds of the tournament on Monday, 9 August, but is contending with a growing injury list.
Beauden Barrett, Scott Barrett, Tupou Vaa’i, Tyrel Lomax, Caleb Clarke, Luke Jacobson and Noah Hotham all sustained setbacks in the mid-year internationals against France, with the All Blacks securing a 3-0 series victory.
Additionally, Wallace Sititi and Tamaiti Williams were ruled out before those Tests even began. Captain Barrett, Sititi and Williams are expected to be fit enough to be named in the All Blacks’ wider squad for the Argentina tour.
Lomax, Clarke, Jacobson and Hotham will all miss at least two games in the upcoming competition.
The latest setback, however, is arguably the biggest with the news that Cameron Roigard will not be available for the beginning of the Rugby Championship.
The scrumhalf has sustained a fracture in his right foot. Roigard presented with pain in the foot following the conclusion of the July series and scans have confirmed the stress fracture.
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He will not travel to Argentina, and his likely return to play will be assessed in two weeks, New Zealand Rugby confirmed.
After back-to-back matches against Los Pumas in Argentina, the All Blacks will return to New Zealand, where they will host the Springboks at Eden Park and Sky Stadium in Wellington.
Robertson’s charges will then host the Wallabies in Auckland before heading to Australia for the final round of the Rugby Championship. They will tackle the Wallabies at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
