Black Ferns co-captain Kennedy Tukuafu ruled out for rest of season after croc roll injury
Monday, 6 July 2026
Safe to say Hurricanes prop Ngano Tavake won’t be on the Christmas card list of Black Ferns co-captain Kennedy Tukuafu this year.
The worst fears for Tukuafu were confirmed on Monday, when it was announced that the experienced loose forward will be sidelined for the rest of 2026 due to a torn hamstring that requires surgery.
That injury was a result of a croc roll clean-out by Tavake in the Poua’s win over the Chiefs Manawa in their Super Rugby Aupiki clash in the All-In Round in Pukekohe on June 27.
In what was a sour way to end Tukuafu’s 100th first-class game, where the Chiefs skipper had also crossed the tryline to open the scoring, the 29-year-old was carried off the park in agony in the 33rd minute after Tavake had cleaned her out at a ruck, then twisted and landed on her left leg.
Tavake had been shown a yellow card at the time, which was swiftly upgraded to a 20-minute red, then was handed a three-game suspension.
World Rugby introduced the law on the croc roll ‒ defined as: “A prohibited action where a player laterally rolls/twists or pulls a player, who is on their feet in the tackle area, to ground. The action often lands on the player’s lower limbs” ‒ two years ago, noting at the time, “While low in number, these actions continue to cause long-term injuries in many players”.
And indeed it has proven so for Tukuafu, with the tenacious flanker to go under the knife this week and miss the remainder of the year’s international programme.
“We’re really feeling for Kennedy,” Black Ferns coach Whitney Hansen said in a statement.
“Injuries are always tough and this is a hard setback for someone who gives so much to the Black Ferns.
“Kennedy leads with authenticity and care and her influence on this group extends well beyond what she does on the field.
“We know she'll approach her recovery with the same resilience, professionalism and determination she shows every day. The whole Black Ferns whānau will be right behind her as she works towards her return.”
Tukuafu, who made her international debut in 2019, was named Black Ferns player of the year in 2021, then was installed as a co-captain alongside Ruahei Demant in 2022 ‒ the year New Zealand went on to claim World Cup victory on home soil. With 39 tests, she is the fourth-most-capped member of the current set-up.
“Although I'm out of action for a while, I'm still closely involved with my team and I'm grateful for the support from my team-mates, whānau and the wider rugby community,” Tukuafu said in a statement.
“My focus now is on surgery, rehabilitation and doing everything I can to return to the game.”
Tukuafu’s absence will be a big blow to the national side, who started their new era under Hansen with wins over the United States, Canada and Australia in April, and still have eight tests to come when they get back underway next month.
They play a Black Ferns XV in Upper Hutt on August 14, before facing the Wallaroos in the second leg of the O’Reilly Cup in Auckland (Mt Smart Stadium) on August 22, then square off with South Africa in Johannesburg on September 5 in a double-header with the Springboks and All Blacks.
Then it’s onto Europe to start the inaugural WXV Global Series, with away matches against France (September 13 NZT), Scotland (September 20 NZT) and England (September 27 NZT), before then hosting the French in three tests as part of the same series, with games in Hamilton (October 17), Whangārei (October 24) and Christchurch (October 31).