All Blacks centre George Moala ruled out for four weeks with elbow injury
Sunday 26 June 2016 08:41, UK
All Blacks centre George Moala has been ruled out for up to four weeks with an elbow injury suffered in the 46-6 third Test win over Wales in Dunedin on Saturday.
Moala, who was not in the original squad and called up as a replacement for Charlie Ngatai, scored a try in the first-half before being forced off on 48 minutes with the injury.
The injury means he is unlikely to be available for the Blues for the rest of the Super Rugby season, although coach Steve Hansen said he would remain in contention for the Rugby Championship.
"His elbow is pretty sore," said Hansen. "What he's done is he's stretched the ligaments that attach around the elbow joint so he could be three to four weeks, we'll just have to wait and see what happens over the next few days."
Moala, 25, made his international debut on the wing last year against Samoa, but has since moved into the midfield for the Auckland Blues.
Hansen, who is due to name his Rugby Championship squad on August 1, admitted he was nervous for any more injuries during the final weeks of the Super Rugby season.
"I'm concerned about all of them, I don't want any of them to get injured," he said. "But at the same time we can't wrap them up in cotton wool.
"We need them to play footy and they've got to play some big games and let's sit back and see how they cope with it. And the guys who do cope with it, that's a big advantage."
