Liam Napier for stuff.co.nz:



Tuipulotu missed the All Blacks final end of season tour match in Paris last year, heading home immediately for what coach Steve Hansen described as personal reasons. Two months on Tuipulotu is still absent from his Super rugby team the Blues, who played their first preseason match against the Hurricanes in Auckland on Saturday, for the same reasons. It is believed Tuipulotu tested positive to a banned substance at some point last year and results were discovered in the lead-up to the final test of the season against France.



Strange situation with NZ Rugby are saying it’s a “personal issue” and no comment from World Rugby about a positive test before the French game. Given he signed a four-year deal with NZ Rugby in April last year it seems NZ Rugby are keeping this one under wraps.

It’ll be a big loss for the Blues if they misses out on such a talent in the Super Rugby. Tiupuloto has already played 12 tests for the All Blacks and he’s only only 24.



UPDATE: NZ Rugby & the NZ Rugby Players Association have released joint statement on the situation:

(Source: Radio Sport NZ)

Really seems like they tried to cover this up. Why not release the above information back in November? Even if they are bound by strict confidentiality obligations, all of this coming out months later paints a worse picture.