Injury ends Eaton's World Cup hopes

[Sw1fty]

From Yahoo!Xtra Rugby

http://yahooxtra.net.nz/rugby/0,,14661-7259866,00.html

28/04/2007
Duncan Johnstone
All Blacks lock Jason Eaton's World Cup hopes are over with a knee injury ruling him out of rugby for six months.

Eaton lasted just five minutes of the Hurricanes' 22-21 Rebel Sport Super 14 win over the Highlanders in Wellington on Friday night.

He had burst through a lineout but then twisted his left knee awkwardly as he fell in a tackle.

He was immediately pulled from the field and spent the first half with his knee iced. He was then sent to hospital for further investigation.

test results have confirmed his worst fears with the big lock suffering ruptured ligaments that will sideline him for six months.

It's a bitter blow for Eaton, a 10-test player, who had been part of the All Blacks reconditioning programme and was just coming into top form.

He was even being used in an experimental role at blindside on Friday night before disaster struck.

Now his enforced absence has highlighted a worrying area for the All Blacks selectors in World Cup year.

With James Ryan completely out of the frame with a season-ending knee injury and Chris Jack still sidelined with his hamstring tear the seemingly healthy supply of test quality locks is suddenly looking a little thinner with two tests against France just around the corner.

Keith Robinson has a history of injury but is going well for the Chiefs at the moment. He joins Ali Williams, Greg Rawlinson, Troy Flavell, Jono Gibbes and utility Reuben Thorne as the leading contenders now.

 

[esoj]

it's not the end of the world. as the article said there still is some dam fine lock ali williams jack rawlinson flavell robinson are all top quality locks. it does suck losing eaton and ryan though but we do have the depth to cover for their losses. hopefully we don't lose too many more locks and it then will be a crisis

 

[mimic]

Ryan wasn't a huge loss. But Eaton was pretty much a definite for the All Blacks.
I guess this will give guys like Flavell, Rawlinson, and Robinson a real shot at making the squad.

 

[melon]

Wooot! Flavell is BACK!

 

[Ripper]

1. Ali Williams
2. Chris Jack
3. Greg Rawlinson
4. Troy Flavell

There we go.

 

[Wellycane]

This is a huge blow to the ABs. The lock positions are causing a lot of headaches. I don't think Rawlinson or Flavell has been showing anything to please Graham Henry lately. Ali Williams? Well Nucifora is limiting his game time. When is Chris Jack due back? He is a must for the ABs to be on time.

 

[esoj]

chris jack should be back in another few weeks I think. he had a hamstring problem but wasn't too bad from memory.

flavell has arguably been one of the form locks of the comp and I think has earnt his spot in the abs and will have to play really badly to miss out on a spot.

rawlinson has been quite good too. in the eyes of nucifora good enough to keep ali williams on the bench.

 

[shiznit]

Eaton is no big loss at all...he was under big pressure to keep his spot because flavell's form has made him a no brainer to be in the squad. its the reconditioning period gave flavell such a big headstart that its basicly meant now Eaton and Thorne were competing for the same spot.

 

[mimic]

Flavell's form has been dropping off though..

 

[esoj]

he's been a little flat but most of the blues have these last few games. there is no doubt flavell has one of the top 4 locks of the comp so far and has played himself into an ab's spot.

 

[Ripper]

Flavell's form has been dropping off though..
[/b]

With the exception of that one game he missed with injury he's played virtually 80 minutes of Rugby for 13 straight weeks.

And the Blues as a whole have been dropping off (See my sig, its a cryptic puzzle which shows who I blame it on).

 

[mimic]

Yeah, but as the Captain, I would've expected him to lead from the front. Maybe his drop of form is impacting the rest of the team? In the last 3 games he's dropped more ball than Isaia Toeava.