Charlie Faumuina
All Black prop Charlie Faumuina’s Rugby World Cup hopes suffered another setback after he was knocked out cold in training on Tuesday.
Faumuina was released to play for his NPC side Auckland after he was given the all clear to resume training returning from neck surgery.
Faumuina damaged his neck in the later stages of the Super Rugby series and had surgery in June in a late bid to be fit for the Rugby World Cup.
There were several options – 1 which gave him a shot at the World Cup or another which would take him out of rugby for 6 months and park his tournament ambitions alongside the injured Aaron Cruden and Patrick Tuipulotu.
The 28-year-old was now involved in a collision with loose forward Taleni Seu at Auckland training on Tuesday and knocked unconscious.
“We were doing a defence drill and he had a collision with Taleni Seu who came on the blindside flank against Southland,” coach Paul Feeney said.
“They were going for the same ball and they both got concussed, it was just a freak accident 5 minutes from the end of the session.”
The Auckland medical staff reported no serious damage, however he will miss Auckland’s next game against Taranaki but Feeney was hopeful that he will be fit to play against Canterbury next Saturday, the day before the All Black 31-man squad is announced for the Rugby World Cup.
rugby365