25 Apr 2010

Luke McAlister injured again, on parental leave anyway

3:47 pm on 25 April 2010

The All Black Luke McAlister is heading home from South Africa with a hamstring injury suffered early in the Blues' 23-10 Super 14 loss to the Sharks in Durban .

McAlister was heading home anyway after hearing news just before kickoff that his partner had gone into labour back in Auckland.

Back on the field and coach Pat Lam admits the Blues' semi-final hopes now rest on other results.

Lam says it's now out of their hands and they just have to bounce back by beating the Cheetahs this week - and the Blues will have to do that without All Black wing Rudy Wulf as well as McAlister.

Wulf's also returning home on fatherhood duties.

But another All Black, the lock Anthony Borich, is flying to South Africa as a replacement and George Pisi's also on the way as cover for Wulf.