All Blacks captain Kieran Read suffers awful injury and you have to feel for him

This isn't really the news New Zealand rugby fans wanted to hear.

The Crusaders cruised to a 48-21 victory over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday, but unfortunately for fans of New Zealand rugby, the scoreline wasn't the main talking point of the game. The sight of All Blacks skipper Kieran Read being substituted with an injury dominated the post-game discussions.

Read had only just returned to action from a wrist injury and now he looks set for some time on the sidelines after suffering a broken thumb in the big win.

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It is understood a broken thumb can take about six weeks to heal which means that the captain is a doubt for the Lions Tour, which is set to kick off in five weeks time.

Even though the first test of the three-game series in Auckland on July 24 is just eight weeks away, there is genuine concern over how ready Read will be. The fact that he is only just after returning from injury and that he was rushed to surgery to have an operation to fix the break didn't exactly calm fans down.

Scott Robertson of the Crusaders summed up the mood of the nation to Stuff New Zealand "I think the whole of New Zealand is worried." They take their rugby very seriously down under.

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This isn't really the news New Zealand rugby fans wanted to hear.

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