Damian McKenzie is currently missing Super Rugby Pacific action because he has been listed as unavailable for the Chiefs due to the birth of his first child, rather than an injury issue.

Quick Scoop: Why Damian McKenzie Is Not Playing

In the build‑up to the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season, official team availability reports noted Damian McKenzie as unavailable for Round One specifically for personal reasons: the birth of his first child. This means his absence is planned and short term, not a sign of being dropped long‑term or suffering a new serious injury.

From a rugby perspective, this is very different from his previous ACL knee injury, which once ruled him out for many months and cost him a Rugby World Cup campaign. Now, he is a fully established senior player for the Chiefs and All Blacks, and the current non‑selection is simply the team giving him time away from the game for a major life event.

What this likely means going forward

  • He is expected to return once his short personal leave window ends, as there is no indication of a long‑term problem.
  • The Chiefs are using other playmakers in the meantime, but all current reporting still treats McKenzie as a central figure in their campaign.

In forum‑style discussions, fans are generally reading this as a positive “good news” absence rather than another injury scare, and are more curious about when he’ll be back than whether he’s out for the season.

TL;DR: If you are wondering “why is Damian McKenzie not playing” right now, the latest squad and injury/unavailable lists say it is because of the birth of his first child, not because of a new serious injury or being dropped.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.