All Blacks lock Sam Whitelock doubtful for series against Ireland

New Zealand lock Sam Whitelock is in doubt for the home series against Ireland following a thumb injury.

Whitelock, who has played 132 times for the All Blacks and is amongst the 20 players to have won dual World Cups missed Crusaders' semi-final game against Chiefs with a thumb injury.

Nevertheless, the 33-year-old continued to play the final against Blues with the injury as his side went on to win the Super Rugby Pacific title with a 21-7 victory at Eden Park on Saturday.

New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson revealed the extent of Whitelock's injury.

“He’s got an incredible capacity to play through pain … to play with a broken thumb,” Robertson said.

“Last week he definitely wasn’t right because he never says he’s not right and he sort of hesitated. This week he was so on. He was a commander-general.”

The three-game Test series between New Zealand and Ireland will kick-start on 2nd July at Eden Park in Auckland with the second and third game scheduled to be played in Dunedin and Wellington on 9th and 16th July respectively.