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Injury cuts Rokocoko down

Monday 07th April 2008

Time out: Rokocoko will be out for at least three months

Blues and All Black winger Joe Rokocoko is facing up to the prospect of missing the rest of the season through injury.

A rare wrist injury, which requires surgery and extensive rehabilitation, will rule Rokocoko out for between three and four months - which effectively means the rest of the Super 14 and most of the Tri-Nations.

Team doctor Stephen Kara said on Monday that Rokocoko ruptured a small ligament that stabilised the carpal bones in his wrist.

"The unfortunate thing is that when the ligament is gone, the bones can move and with movement it is much like driving your car on a bald tyre - in time that tyre will wear out and the same thing with Joe's wrist," Kara told Sportal.co.nz.

"So if we don't repair that within a certain time frame then the wrist will wear out over time."

No problems were expected with the surgery but the immediate effect would be a loss of some wrist extension but Kara didn't think that would be a problem for Rokocoko. And if it wasn't done there was also the prospect that he would have an arthritic wrist within five years.

While Rokocoko had continued playing with the injury there was no risk that the situation could have deteriorated.

"Specialists have been involved and both Joe and the medical staff had a very good understanding of where things were at," Blues coach David Nucifora said.

The injury occurred against the Force when he went into opposite marker Drew Mitchell's tackle. The wrist went numb after it felt like it went out of joint and then went back in.

"I tried to play for another ten minutes, and I tried to roll my wrist around but it just locked up and I knew it wasn't right," said Rokocoko.

"I've been playing for the past three games since the injury happened but I haven't really felt anything so it's frustrating in that way."