The All Blacks have suffered a double injury setback on the eve of the two-Test Bledisloe Cup series against the Wallabies.
Flyhalf Richie Mo’unga and winger Fehi Fineanganofo have both been ruled out of the matches at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday and Stadium Australia in Sydney a week later.
Mo’unga suffered a calf tear at training on Tuesday, leaving coach Dave Rennie without his two leading flyhalf options after Ruben Love underwent ankle surgery that ended his 2026 Test season.
The injury could open the door for uncapped Josh Jacomb to start against the Wallabies.
NZ Rugby said Mo’unga’s return to play would depend on his progress over the coming weeks, with no replacement yet named in the All Blacks squad.
The experienced playmaker returned to New Zealand this year after three seasons in Japan and made his Test comeback in the final match of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the Springboks in Baltimore.
Before that, Mo’unga started against the Lions during the All Blacks’ tour of South Africa, while Jacomb featured against the Stormers, Bulls and Lions.
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Fineanganofo, meanwhile, has been sidelined after suffering a concussion while playing for Bay of Plenty in the NPC.
He will serve a mandatory 12-day stand-down, while scans also revealed an upper hamstring injury.
Fineanganofo has been replaced in the squad by uncapped Crusaders outside back Chay Fihaki.
The All Blacks are set to name their team on Thursday.
Photo: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images
The post Richie ruled out of Bledisloe Cup appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
The All Blacks have suffered a double injury setback on the eve of the two-Test Bledisloe Cup series against the Wallabies.
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