Updated 7:28am: All Blacks boss Steve Hansen has lamented the loss of Joe Moody for the remainder of the Test season with a shoulder injury, claiming the loosehead prop had been the best in the world in his position this year.
The 31-Test Moody dislocated his shoulder in Saturday’s 39-22 victory over Argentina in New Plymouth, with post-game tests confirming the worst.
He’ll require shoulder surgery in the coming days and will be sidelined for six months, ruling him out of the Rugby Championship run-in and northern tour.
With veteran tighthead Owen Franks out for the season with an Achilles tendon issue and Charlie Faumuina France-bound, Moody’s injury is problematic.
Of Hansen’s remaining props, only back-up loosehead Wyatt Crockett – with 64 Tests to his name – has played for the All Blacks more than 10 times.
Despite scoring six tries to one and dominating the setpiece, New Zealand went into the break 16-15 behind and never truly dispatched Los Pumas.
Proceedings went further awry when Beauden Barrett was sin-binned in the 49th minute for repeated ruck infringements, only for bustling flanker Vaea Fifita – in his first Test start – to gallop over and trigger an All Blacks comeback.
-NewstalkZB
