Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup 2023 - Quarter Final - Ireland v New Zealand - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France - October 14, 2023 New Zealand's Scott Barrett during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo
(Reuters) - The Canterbury Crusaders' tough start to their Super Rugby Pacific title defence has been compounded by the loss of captain Scott Barrett for six weeks with a broken finger.
All Blacks lock Barrett injured his finger in training last week but played in the 20-10 loss to Fijian Drua over the weekend before medical staff picked up the fracture.
The Drua defeat in steamy Lautoka was the winless Crusaders' third successive loss, matching their worst start since the first year of Super Rugby in 1996.
Barrett joins a long injury list in Rob Penney's roster that includes Will Jordan, Braydon Ennor, Ethan Blackadder and Joe Moody among others.
Zach Gallagher will return as a starting lock for his first match of the season.
The loss of Barrett is another headache for new coach Penney before a huge test at home against the undefeated Wellington Hurricanes on Friday.
"He's a really important part of our leadership group, and his on-field performances are world class every week," Penney told New Zealand media on Wednesday.
"He goes deep to that well, and he's such an inspirational guy, he will be sadly missed.
"But what we've got is some really hungry young men determined to make their mark on this place. That's their opportunity now."
Midfielder David Havili will lead the Crusaders against the Hurricanes, who beat the Auckland Blues 29-21 last weekend and are the only side with a perfect record in the 12-team competition.
The Crusaders, who have won the last seven iterations of Super Rugby in its various forms, are in transition following the departures of former coach Scott Robertson and flyhalf Richie Mo'unga.
Fergus Burke, the man groomed to take over from Mo'unga, has missed the start of the season with an Achilles injury.
His backup, Rivez Reihana, lasted one week before suffering a shoulder injury, leaving 20-year-old Taha Kemara at pivot in the last two rounds.
In what will be his second match for the Crusaders, Riley Hohepa will be the third player to take the number 10 jersey this year against the Hurricanes.
Penney said Burke's return was not far off.
"He is training fully now, integrated. He just needs to get his athletic performance up, but he's close," he added.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
