All Blacks prop Tu’ungafasi a doubt

Auckland Blues prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi has been ruled out of the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final against the Otago Highlanders on Saturday and is a doubt for the All Blacks July Tests against Tonga and Fiji as he prepares to undergo knee surgery.

The 39-Test forward missed last week’s match against Western Force battling knee and hand problems and could not recover sufficiently, the Blues said.

The All Blacks play Tonga on July 3 before Tests against Fiji in Dunedin (July 10) and Hamilton the following week. Blues loose forward Tom Robinson, who was stand-in captain for the absent Patrick Tuipulotu, has also been ruled out of the TransTasman clash at Eden Park due to a head knock.

Akira Ioane has taken Robinson’s place on the blindside flank in the Blues’ only change.

“It’s sad for Ofa, who is our longest-serving current player, while Tom has led us well this year when Patrick was injured,” Blues coach Leon MacDonald said in a team release. “The boys will be determined to do well for them on Saturday.”

Flyhalf Otere Black was cleared to play after suffering a knock at training earlier in the week. The Highlanders go into the inaugural Trans-Tasman final unchanged after thrashing the Brumbies 33-12 in Canberra.

The Highlanders won their last clash with the Blues 35-29 in Dunedin during the Super Rugby Aotearoa tournament but were thumped 39-17 when they faced them at Eden Park in March.

“That last result gives us a bit of confidence going into this game,” Highlanders flanker Billy Harmon said on Thursday. “We know what we need to do to stop them … we know that if we don’t get it right we know how good they can be.”