Bruce Smith to drop out of All Black tour

Press, 24 July 1984, Page 40

Bruce Smith to drop out of All Black tour

NZPA staff correspondent Canberra A third replacement call has gone out from the touring All Black team to rugby union headquarters in New Zealand and again the soughtafter substitute is a three-quarter.

The Waikato wing, Bruce Smith, was diagnosed yesterday as having strained a medial ligament in his right knee and will leave the tour and return home some time after New Zealand’s match with Sydney in Sydney on Saturday. A replacement has not been formally called yet but New Zealand officials have been told by the tour manager, Mr Dick Littlejohn, of Smith’s predicament and the imminent need for a substitute. The injury would keep him out of rugby for six to eight weeks, Mr Littlejohn said.

“He will remain with the team at least until Saturday, after which a decision will be made on his return home. He may stay with the team longer or he may return home immediately.” Mr Littlejohn said he would discuss possible replacements with the coach, Mr Bryce Rope, and one would be summoned after the All Black’s match with Australian Capital Territory tomorrow.

Smith’s departure from the tour after incurring his injury in the first test against Australia on Saturday continues a dramatic run of injuries to touring three-quarters.

He is the third wing or centre to be injured so seriously on tour that a replacement is required. Steven Pokere fell victim to an ankle strain in the first match of the tour against Queensland B resulting in the call, two weeks later, for the Waikato centre, Arthur Stone, to join the touring party. More seriously, the Auckland wing, John Kirwan, suffered a severe shoulder injury in the second match of the tour against New South Wales, returned home after surgery and was replaced by Bernie Fraser. Smith’s injury leaves the

touring party with four three-quarters — Fraser, the wing, Mike Clamp, the centre, Stone, and the semifit Pokere. Pokere is said to have recovered from an injury identified by Mr Littlejohn as an Achilles tendon strain. But there is still some doubt about his fitness and he will be required to prove that he has completely overcome the effects of the injury when he steps out against

A.C.T. tomorrow. If his fitness is still in doubt after that match another replacement may be called. “We’re hopeful that he will come through Wednes-

day’s match okay,” Littlejohn said. A further injury scare was thrown into the touring team during training yesterday when the Canterbury utility back, Craig Green, limped away from a team exercise with an apparent thigh strain. Green stood in for Pokere at centre in Saturday’s test match, although his representative experience has been at second five-eighth and on the wing. He remains an important member of the touring party because of his versatility and was closely examined by the physiotherapist, Peter Sokes, after reporting his thigh injury. Stokes was relieved to report later that Green had been hit by only a minor bout of cramp. He did not resume training but after treatment he was able to move freely.

Mr Rope admitted surprise at the number of injuries which had hit the touring team and, particularly, the short life expectancy of three-quarters. “I can’t put the number of injuries we’ve had in the centres and on the wing down to any one thing,” he said. “It’s just an unfortunate coincidence.”