Nehe Milner-Skudder ruled out of Hurricanes opening Super Rugby match

Nehe Milner-Skudder ruled out of Hurricanes opening Super Rugby match

PETER MEECHAM/PHOTOSPORT

Nehe Milner-Skudder has been ruled out of the Hurricanes' opening match against the Sunwolves.

Jordie Barrett looks set to make his Hurricanes debut at fullback in Tokyo this weekend after Nehe Milner-Skudder was ruled out with injury.

Milner-Skudder made his return to action in the preseason after missing most of last year due to shoulder surgery, but a hamstring complaint has precluded him from travelling, along with prop Loni Uhila (calf). Neither injuries are considered serious.

"If we had been playing at home they may have been considered, but to sit on a long haul flight with a muscle injury like that was probably not a great idea," Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd said. "It's a long season, so we decided the prudent move was to leave them at home and get them 100 per cent right for our first home game against the Rebels in two weeks' time."

Milner-Skudder's absence opens the door for Barrett to make his debut at fullback, where he starred for Canterbury, following James Marshall's departure to London Irish.

Elsewhere Boyd's 25-man touring squad for the Hurricanes opening match against the Sunwolves includes all five of the team's 2016 All Blacks; Dane Coles, TJ Perenara, Ardie Savea, Julian Savea and Jordie's older brother Beauden Barrett.
 
Three other uncapped Hurricanes also make the trip in loose forward Reed Prinsep, lock James Blackwell, and hooker James O'Reilly.
 
Barrett and Prinsep joined the club during the offseason after moving north from Canterbury, while Wellington's Blackwell has graduated through the Hurricanes development programme to the full squad in 2017.
 
O'Reilly, the former New Zealand Under 20s rake, has been called up as the third hooker in the tour squad due to a niggly hamstring injury to Leni Apisai.
 
Boyd will name his match day 23 to play the Sunwolves on Thursday.
 
Squad: Ardie Savea, Beauden Barrett, Ben May, Blade Thomson, Brad Shields, Callum Gibbins, Chris Eves, Chris Smylie, Cory Jane, Dane Coles, James Blackwell, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Jordie Barrett, Julian Savea, James O'Reilly, Matt Proctor, Michael Fatialofa, Mike Kainga, Wes Goosen, Ngani Laumape, Otere Black, Reed Prinsep, Ricky Riccitelli, TJ Perenara, Vince Aso.

 Thanks ABF, I had him on my team & swapped him for Savea - I wanted a Cane player as they are going up against a weak team. I don't see J Barrett in the Fantasy Rugby site but would have picked him as a bench player if he was available.

So just another Fantasy thread.....who gives a damn.

 Jordie Barret is included as a center and his price is $345K,... not cheap for a rookie

I was thinking in picking him also but it's risky,... next week he'll very probably be on the bench once Milner-Skudder is back,... and if that happens his price can drop well below that $345K,... I'll wait to decide untill the starting line-up is announced to see if he's definitively included

Can you believe this puerile stuff

 Can o ne believe the rubbish Mozart comes p om rugby issues - real blowhard.

Granny is back.....what great financial deal did you cut in your fantasy world today. Please tell us all about it.

 So how is this anything to do with 'business' Mozart ? Do you see me moaning about the fecking cricket ? This is rather childish of you and most unexpected .

Really don't know what to do about Mil-Skud.

I'm tempted to keep him in my squad for week 1. Obviously he'll ride pine but this will save me a transfer. Problem is, his value might plummet and I'll be out of pocket. Then again, I think he's one of the most popular outside backs (if you sort by "selected by %" so he may in fact even gain in value.

What are you guys doing?

 rooi,

since last year the price of a player doesn't depend on what % of fantasy-players have him but on the player's performance (or points obtained)
Milner-Skudder is not in the travelling squad, so he won't be on the bench,... if he doesn't play his price will keep unaltered

I don't know what hurricanes players select btwin both Barrets, Milner-Skudder, J. Savea,... I think I'll wait till the last moment to see who's definitively inthe match starting XV

 best thing to do with trolls is to ignore and not to feed them

ABasque, tx bud! Didn't know that about the prices. Thought it was based on demand rather than points. I might re-think a few selections now.