‘Not great, I’d say’: Tana Umaga casts doubt over key All Blacks’ availability

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As it is All black people travel through Bath before downloading Wales in Cardiff this weekend, assistant coach Tana Umaga has provided an update on how both will do Jordan and Jordie Barrett follow.

The experienced All Blacks duo left the field during the second half at Murrayfield, both receiving treatment for different injuries.

Jordan, who started every Test match under Dave Rennie in 2026, limped off with what appeared to be a hamstring problem, while Barrett was placed in HIA protocols after a nasty clash with Blair Kinghorn’s shoulder.

Rennie’s comments after the match against Scotland suggested that both players were unlikely to feature against Wales, with Umaga all but confirming Jordan’s absence this weekend.

“yes, no, no great, I would say at this stage, but it is still early, and you I know he there is that go through a bit more testing that wait,” said the defensive coach Ryan Bridge he Herald Now about Jordan.

“Obviously, it still is done 24 hours since the injury. So we are Got that get the appropriate scans and medical reviews as as a lot as we I can that look where he is at and he that spectrum, so we I can to make informed decisions.”

Let’s go to Nations Championship in the United Kingdom, the All Blacks have had several injury problems, including Richie Mo’unga and Ethan Blackadder.

Mo’unga has not featured for the All Blacks since the last Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour, after pulling up in training ahead of the first Bledisloe Cup Test against Australia.

The Crusaders the first five was named to start on Monday in the number 10 jersey, but suffered a calf injury in training on Tuesday, ruling him out for more than a month.

Blackadder, whose last appearance was also during the final Test against South Africa in Baltimore, picked up a slight calf strain during warmups against Australia in Eden Park.

Both Mo’unga and Blackadder will be available this weekend in Cardiff, if selected, as the All Blacks look to extend their unbeaten run in the Nations Championship.

“yes, so Ethan and Richie both of them trained completely the last one week, so they are choice here,” Ryan said in Bath on Monday.

“So they are come together really good. You know, credit that the medical the crew for getting to them right. That was a couple of big conversations around to them will be he the airplane, so they are it goes so.”

Having spent a week in the All Blacks environment, Ryan said the hybrid is loose Leicester Fainga’anuku will provide the All Blacks with true versatility this weekend.

“yes, he is a original hybrid. I to think as Rennie there is mentioned.

“I like it he is Got the ability that float in between both of them. He there is was sit down in he the forward meetings and the reviews and reviews, and he is was enjoying it that.

“He’s apparently played there with Crusaders and the seven role. So there it is a a lot of it moves parts that that part of that, and also he I can lid midfield.

“So he is trained really well, and he is was getting up that speed. That’s it his first the real one time caught in the environment, so learning the language and getting that to understand that there is was important for him.”