Rugby-Shoulder injury likely to rule Blackadder out of Ireland series

Canterbury Crusaders forward Ethan Blackadder looks set to miss New Zealand's three-test series against Ireland next month due to a shoulder injury while Auckland Blues' Dalton Papalii is in doubt as a result of suspected appendicitis. New Zealand are due to face Ireland in Auckland in the first test on July 2 before the teams meet again in Dunedin a week later.

Canterbury Crusaders forward Ethan Blackadder looks set to miss New Zealand's three-test series against Ireland next month due to a shoulder injury while Auckland Blues' Dalton Papalii is in doubt as a result of suspected appendicitis. Blackadder left the field during the Crusaders' win over the Queensland Reds in the Super Rugby quarter-finals on Friday with his arm in a sling, and coach Scott Robertson does not expect him to play again this campaign.

"He's unlikely to be involved for the rest of the season for us, and hopefully it's not an operation (that's required)," Robertson said. "He will definitely have scans. It was pretty sore, as you can see. He's holding it up."

Blackadder has played nine times for the All Blacks and would have expected to be included in the squad when coach Ian Foster names his line-up for the series against the Irish, which starts on July 2. Papalii, meanwhile, was ruled out of Saturday's Super Rugby meeting with the Otago Highlanders after falling ill 48 hours before the game and could be sidelined for several weeks, Stuff Media reported.

The Blues captain has been instrumental in his team's 13-match unbeaten run in Super Rugby this season, prompting calls for the 24-year-old to be first choice for the All Blacks ahead of captain Sam Kane. New Zealand is due to face Ireland in Auckland in the first test on July 2 before the teams meet again in Dunedin a week later. The final meeting will be played in Christchurch on July 16.

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