Blues lock Patrick Tuipulotu. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Blues lock Patrick Tuipulotu will miss the Super Rugby finals series with injury although his broken arm is not likely to affect his All Blacks availability.
Blues coach Leon MacDonald revealed on Monday the 43-test All Black will be sidelined for about six weeks by the injury, which he suffered during Friday's win over the Highlanders at Eden Park.
It means the 30-year-old will miss Friday's quarter-final at home to the Waratahs, as well as the semi-final and final if the Blues can keep winning.
If Tuipulotu's progress goes to plan, he could yet be available for the All Blacks' first test of the year against Argentina.
"It's brutally demoralising (for him)," MacDonald said on Monday night.
"He missed last year (while on contract in Japan) and he was really excited about being in a Blues jersey this year.
"I thought he was really starting to hit his straps, with his form and his leadership, and he is a key player in our team. He's a huge loss to us."
Tuipulotu played the full 80 minutes against the Highlanders, scoring the only try of the game.
MacDonald wasn't aware his powerhouse forward was injured until well after fulltime.
"I was speaking to him after the game for 10 minutes, and he didn't say a thing, then 20 minutes later in the sheds, he's walking around with a cast," the coach said.
"He's not a man of a lot of words and didn't even say he had a sore arm but he obviously finished the game with it broken and didn't speak of it afterwards.
"He's a tough, old rooster, but the boys are definitely disappointed for him."
The injury comes three weeks after fellow-Blues lock Sam Darry suffered a broken forearm, also ruling him out of the rest of the championship.
MacDonald is likely to call on the versatile Tom Robinson and Cameron Suafoa to the lock the scrum for the remainder of the campaign.
Meanwhile, first five-eighth Beauden Barrett is poised to return to action after recovering from a cut to his foot that sidelined him for two weeks.
MacDonald said the All Blacks playmaker looked "sharp" at training on Monday.
"If we really wanted to push him to the limit, we could have put him out last weekend. Just the extra few days will make sure the wound has healed properly and didn't open up."
- RNZ