Just hours after the news that star fullback Ayumu Goromaru would miss the June test series with a damaged shoulder, the injury bug has struck Japan once again as talisman and captain Michael Leitch will also miss the June series against Canada and Scotland in its entirety with a badly dislocated thumb. The Chiefs back rower suffered the injury in the Super Rugby match against the Rebels on Saturday evening. He will not require surgery but is expected to miss between 8-10 weeks action.

Leitch had previously considered sitting out the June internationals to recuperate from the build-up of fatigue from nearly three years of non-stop rugby, but was named in Japan’s squad for the three game series last week. Suggestions that he skip out on the trip to Canada are now redundant with his enforced absence. The injury may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the 27-year-old, who will now have time to take an extended break from contact training, a recovery period that could pay dividends down the road in the buildup to the 2019 World Cup in Japan.