Rugby-Blues winger Ioane out for several weeks with hand fracture

All Blacks and Auckland Blues winger Rieko Ioane will be sidelined for several weeks after fracturing a bone in his hand in the Super Rugby season-opener against the Waikato Chiefs last weekend. Hooker Ray Niuia has been ruled out for the season after suffering a serious knee injury in the match at Eden Park last Friday, when the Blues took a 19-5 lead on the back of two Ioane tries only to lose 37-29.

Prop Alex Hodgman, who has a calf injury, is another front-rower who will miss Saturday's second-round match against the New South Wales Waratahs in Newcastle, the Blues said in a statement. The injuries will come as a big blow to the three-times Super Rugby champions, who are looking to get into the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

(Writing by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, editing by Peter Rutherford )