Blues lose skipper Patrick Tuipulotu for rest of Super Rugby Pacific campaign

Sunday, 9 June 2024

Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu will miss the rest of Super Rugby with a knee injury.

Tuipulotu tore the medial ligament in his right knee during the Blues’ quarterfinal win against the Fijian Drua on Saturday.

His injury is also a blow to the All Blacks, with Tuipuloto expected to be sidelined for almost two months.

Looking at Patrick Tuipulotu’s expression as he sat on the bench at Eden Park was rather telling.

And so it proved, with confirmation on Sunday the Blues’ captain will miss the remainder of his team’s Super Rugby campaign with a knee injury.

Tuipulotu tore the medial ligament in his right knee early in the Blues’ quarterfinal rout of the meek Fijian Drua at Eden Park on Saturday night, forcing him off the park after 20 minutes.

It’s a major blow for the Blues, who will have to get by without their skipper if they’re to win their first fully-fledged title in more than two decades.

Tuipulotu isn’t just expected to miss the final two weeks of Super Rugby.

He’s likely to be sidelined for up to seven weeks with the injury, meaning he won’t be available for All Blacks coach Scott Robertson’s first few tests in charge, starting against England next month.

The big lock has been a stand out for the Blues this year, and almost certainly would have cracked Robertson’s squad to play two tests against England and one against Fiji, which will be named after the Super Rugby final later this month.

The Blues face the Brumbies at Eden Park on Friday night in the first semifinal, with the winner facing the Hurricanes or Chiefs in the decider the following weekend.

Flanker Dalton Papalii is expected to captain the Blues in Tuipulotu’s absence.