All Blacks hit by injury

Press, 12 August 1978, Page 56

All Blacks hit by injury

Much fruitful convalescence will have to take place next week 'if the All Black team as selected is to line up against the Wallabies in the first international at Athletic Park, Barry Ashworth (above), the new’ blind-side flanker from Auckland, pulled a hamstring muscle at his provincial side’s training run last week-end. Hamstrings can be tricky things to mend. The lofty lock, Andy Haden, New Zealand’s big hope for line-out possession, has bruised ribs and Gary Seear, the No. 8, is nursing strained ligaments in an ankle. There are fervent hopes that other All Blacks recently back in action after injuries have made full recoveries. Bevan Wilson’s damaged thigh muscle and Brian Williams’s strained Achilles tendon were on top of the rugby medical list for a long time. Frank Oliver recently resumed playing after breaking a thumb and Mark Taylor was on crutches last month after bursting a blood vessel in his left thigh. But as one staunch Canterbury supporter said last evening, “As long as Doug Bruce is okay u'e’U lick the Aussies.”