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Front-row injury crisis hits Super Rugby leaders Hurricanes / Photo: Grant Down - AFP/File
Front-row injury crisis hits Super Rugby leaders Hurricanes
Wellington Hurricanes face a front-row injury crisis ahead of Friday's home game against NSW Waratahs, with the Super Rugby leaders down to their fourth-choice hooker.
The Hurricanes had an eight-match winning streak ended by a 27-19 defeat at the ACT Brumbies last Saturday, leaving them a point ahead of the second-placed Auckland Blues.
All Blacks hooker Asafo Aumua was ruled out last week for up to two months with a knee injury.
His replacement James O'Reilly then suffered a concussion in Saturday's defeat.
Third-choice hooker Jacob Devery was already sidelined by a long-term injury.
"We're losing bodies in one or two positions," Hurricanes assistant coach Tyler Bleyendaal told reporters.
"At hooker, we are going to be tested a lot, so we have to bring guys in."
New Zealand junior international Raymond Tuputupu has been promoted from the wider training group.
He will make only this third Super Rugby appearance on Friday, having replaced O'Reilly against the Brumbies.
Hawke's Bay club hooker Kianu Kereru-Symes has been added to the squad as cover.
The Hurricanes face a tough run-in to June's play offs, with clashes against the Blues and Waikato Chiefs also to come next month.
"We have to learn from how we didn't quite front against the Brumbies, because that is going to be critical hitting the back end of the season," Bleyendaal added.
"If we want to be serious in the play-offs, we're going to have to rectify some of those issues."
U.Neumann--BlnAP
