Fitness concerns for All Blacks and Wallabies on the eve of Bledisloe II
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The All Blacks and Wallabies both have injury concerns on the eve of the second Bledisloe Cup test of 2020.
After starring debut last week, looseforward Harry Wilson is in doubt for the clash at Eden Park with the Australian laying low with an apparent stomach bug. He failed to make the captain's run on Saturday and is now in doubt for the clash.
On the opposite side of the pitch, Rieko Ioane is nursing a troublesome hamstring injury that could deny him the opportunity to write his wrongs from the opening Bledisloe test.
Uncapped Hurricanes' centre Peter Umaga-Jensen has been hurriedly brought back into the extended squad as cover for Ioane, who started last week's 16-16 draw in Wellington but was moved to the bench for the game at Eden Park. Ioane was still in the 23-man match-day squad on Saturday with a final decision on his fitness due to be made on Sunday.
If Wilson is a late scratching, the Wallabies could bring Pete Samu back into the No.8 spot after he was dropped from the 23 this weekend after starting there in the first test.
All Blacks captain Sam Cane was hopeful Ioane would get a chance to redeem himself after dropping the ball over the line and costing his side a try in the first half of the Bledisloe opener.
"Fingers crossed," Cane said. "Between him, the medical staff and Fozzy [coach Ian Foster], they'll do what's right by the team.
"No one in our circle is blaming Rieko by any means. He has carried on and prepared as well as he has every week and I'm sure he'll bounce back."
