He can’t say he doesn’t know what’s coming. It’s inevitable that fit young players who march to work each weekend will return with cracked bones, torn tendons and concussions.
From there it’s a matter of determining how long it will take to patch them up. Crusaders centre Jack Goodhue, whose demeanour and defence have been an asset to the All Blacks midfield since 2018, won’t play again this year.
Neither will talented Highlanders halfback Folau Fakatava. He, like Goodhue, has a serious knee injury and his hopes of making his All Blacks debut in 2021 have evaporated.