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Auckland - Injured All Blacks loose forward Kieran Read will not be available until the tail end of the World Cup pool phase while fellow loose forward Adam Thomson will miss at least the opening match against Tonga, the team said on Tuesday.
No 8 Read, a vital component of the All Blacks loose forward trio with captain Richie McCaw and blindside flanker Jerome Kaino, suffered an ankle sprain early in the first half of the 25-20 loss to Australia in Brisbane on Saturday.
Thomson injured his elbow shortly after Read left the field in the match at Lang Park.
"Kieran has torn the ligament between the tibia and fibula at the front of his left ankle and while it's still early days in his recovery, with aggressive rehabilitation we are aiming to have him available to play near the end of the round robin," All Blacks doctor Deb Robinson said in a statement.
"Adam's MRI scan shows some swelling around the inside of his elbow which should settle quickly.
"He also has some deep bruising to his upper arm and while it's difficult to know how long that will take to settle, we are hoping he will be ready for selection for the All Blacks second round robin match against Japan."
Robinson said both players would remain with the World Cup squad, which reassembles in Auckland on Friday.
The All Blacks, who are in Pool A with Tonga, France, Canada and Japan, open the World Cup against the Pacific islanders at Eden Park on Sept. 9.
No 8 Read, a vital component of the All Blacks loose forward trio with captain Richie McCaw and blindside flanker Jerome Kaino, suffered an ankle sprain early in the first half of the 25-20 loss to Australia in Brisbane on Saturday.
Thomson injured his elbow shortly after Read left the field in the match at Lang Park.
"Kieran has torn the ligament between the tibia and fibula at the front of his left ankle and while it's still early days in his recovery, with aggressive rehabilitation we are aiming to have him available to play near the end of the round robin," All Blacks doctor Deb Robinson said in a statement.
"Adam's MRI scan shows some swelling around the inside of his elbow which should settle quickly.
"He also has some deep bruising to his upper arm and while it's difficult to know how long that will take to settle, we are hoping he will be ready for selection for the All Blacks second round robin match against Japan."
Robinson said both players would remain with the World Cup squad, which reassembles in Auckland on Friday.
The All Blacks, who are in Pool A with Tonga, France, Canada and Japan, open the World Cup against the Pacific islanders at Eden Park on Sept. 9.
