FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - New Zealand Training - The Lensbury, Teddington, Britain - November 8, 2018 New Zealand's Jack Goodhue during training Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
(Reuters) - All Blacks back Jack Goodhue will require knee surgery and looks likely to miss the rest of the southern hemisphere's Rugby Championship after a run-out in provincial rugby at the weekend revealed he had not recovered from an injury to the joint.
The 27-year-old centre was included in Ian Foster's squad for the championships but missed the two tests in South Africa because of the latest in a string of knee injuries that have kept him out of the test arena for the better part of two years.
Also missing from the All Blacks squad assembling in Christchurch for the first of two home tests against Argentina are forwards Brodie Retallick, Patrick Tuipulotu, Nepo Laulala and Ofa Tu'ungafasi.
Retallick is on the comeback trail after fracturing his cheekbone in the July series against Ireland but could make his return to the field in the National Provincial Championship (NPC) for Hawke's Bay this weekend.
His fellow lock Tuipulotu suffered a neck injury in training on the South Africa tour and will remain in Auckland for treatment, New Zealand Rugby said.
Props Laulala and Tu'ungafasi have recovered from injuries that forced out of the tests against South Africa but will stay with their NPC teams.
Injury replacement Fletcher Newell, who made his debut off the bench against South Africa in New Zealand's last match, will remain in the squad along with fellow tighthead prop Tyrel Lomax, who started the 35-23 victory over the Springboks.
Centre Braydon Ennor retains his place in the squad in the continued absence of Goodhue, while Josh Dickson will cover the second row in place of Tuipulotu.
The All Blacks, who lost their first match in South Africa, face the Pumas in Christchurch on Saturday and Hamilton the following week before home and away tests against Australia to round out the championship.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Lincoln Feast.)
