All Blacks lock Tuipulotu all but ruled out of Rugby Championship with facial fracture
New Zealand lock Patrick Tuipulotu may not play another test in the Rugby Championship after suffering a facial fracture against Argentina while centre Anton Lienert-Brown is out of the second Pumas match after failing concussion protocols.
Tuipulotu was taken to hospital after the All Blacks' 41-24 win last Saturday and will need surgery on his return to New Zealand.
The 32-year-old is expected to need six weeks to recover after surgery, leaving him scrambling to be fit for the last Rugby Championship test against Australia in Perth on Oct. 4.
Lienert-Brown will join him on the plane home after failing a head injury assessment, New Zealand Rugby said in a statement on Tuesday.
The veteran centre earned a yellow card after a late clash of heads with Santiago Chocobares in Cordoba.
Robertson's squad has cover in both positions, with Josh Lord a potential replacement at lock and former Fiji under-20 player Timoci Tavatavanawai a midfield option.
Robertson said loose forward Wallace Sititi and prop Tamaiti Williams should be available for Saturday's second test in Buenos Aires after missing the Cordoba opener and the entire France series due to leg injuries.
With a few uncapped players in the squad including halfback Kyle Preston and flanker Simon Parker, Robertson suggested more changes may be on the table to build depth.
"Some guys need football and they need to play together to get high cohesion," said Robertson.
"You need to give guys opportunities to build depth for now and this rugby cycle."
