Narawa’s RWC dreams dashed after re-injuring back

Fijian-born Chiefs and All Blacks’ winger Emoni Narawa’s Rugby World Cup dreams have been dashed after re-injuring his back during training.

Narawa was burdened by a niggling back injury during the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup but appeared to be on the road to recovery with Coach Ian Foster “excited” about where he was at in his recovery, but another cruel injury blow has ended the winger's Rugby World Cup before it’s even begun.

Foster says it’s incredibly sad as last week, he ran his fastest time of the year, he was coming back, so his preparation has actually been really good; trending right up.

He says Narawa trained really well on Monday and it was actually the last thing he did in the skill block that jarred it.

The All Blacks coach says the best thing for the 24-year-old now is to go and rehab at home.

He says the All Blacks are firmly focused on their World Cup opener with France at the moment but will look at making a “plan for a replacement” after that test on Saturday morning.

Chiefs fullback Shaun Stevenson is an option if the New Zealand selectors decided to make a like-for-like replacement with another outside back, but Foster hinted at an addition to the forward pack.

Samipeni Finau and Ethan Blackadder are options, it would seem if the All Blacks decided to call up a loose forward in Narawa’s unfortunate absence.