After the package of Captain Scott Barrett earlier this week, it is the winger Caleb Clarke to make arms before the Wellington test. A new blow for the All Blacks…
New Zealand will have to deal without its explosive winger, Caleb Clarke, for the long-awaited shock against France, Saturday evening in Wellington. The player was forced to forfeit after being injured in the ankle during Thursday training. It would be a sprained ankle, an injury that requires additional examinations to assess its severity and the duration of its unavailability. Clarke, one of the best finish in super rugby, will not only miss the match against the Blues, but also the rest of the summer tour. His absence is a blow for the All Blacks, already deprived of the Sevu Reece communion, and which counted on the power and speed of Clarke to make the difference against a French team in full confidence.
Narawa in Relay
To compensate for this package, the New Zealand staff decided to tenure Emoni Narawa (Chiefs) to the right wing. Initially called as a blanket in the event of an injury, Narawa will have the opportunity to prove himself in a match at the top. For his part, Rieko Ioane will slip on the left wing, a position he knows well but that he occupies less frequently in recent seasons. This last minute readjustment redistributes the cards in the back line of the All Blacks. Faced with a French team renowned for their game at the foot and its defensive pressure, the ability of New Zealanders to adapt quickly will be put to the test.
