All Blacks full-back Ben Smith has been ruled out of the remainder of the Lions series.
The Highlander left the field on Saturday and never returned after failing a HIA, forcing Beauden Barrett to move to full-back.
We won’t see Ben Smith again this series, Hansen says he’s been stood down even if he passes HIA protocols
— Andrew McKenna (@talkMacca) June 29, 2017
Steve Hansen has said that the All Blacks won’t use Smith again in the series, even if he passes the return to play protocols.
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The New Zealand head coach said: “While it’s disappointing to lose both Ben Smith and Ryan Crotty, it creates an opportunity for others. Izzy [Dagg] is a world-class back-three player, as is Anton in the midfield,
“And both Waisake and Ngani are coming in following outstanding performances against the Lions for their respective Super Rugby franchises.”