All Blacks captain Ardie Savea is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after it was confirmed he will undergo shoulder surgery.
The star loose forward dislocated his shoulder during in the third test against South Africa in Soweto earlier this month, which saw him return home early and miss the series finale in the United States.
Savea had already been ruled out for next month’s Bledisloe Cup tests against Australia, now his involvement in the Nations Championship at the end of the year is in doubt after New Zealand Rugby on Monday confirmed the 32-year-old will require surgery.
NZ Rugby said a return-to-play timeframe for Savea will not be known until after surgery. However, with the rehabilitation time for shoulder surgery typically taking around six months, it is unlikely the All Blacks’ skipper will return to the field before the end of 2026.
Savea’s absence is another significant blow to an All Blacks side already dealing with a lengthy injury list.
Luke Jacobson has undergone surgery on an elbow tendon injury and is expected to be sidelined for four to five months, while Caleb Clarke’s ruptured shoulder tendon is expected to keep him out for about five months.
The latest injury update also lists Anton Lienert-Brown (four to six weeks), Quinn Tupaea (one to two weeks), Anton Segner (one to two weeks), Cortez Ratima (one to two weeks) and Billy Proctor (four to six weeks) among those recovering from injuries sustained on tour.
Savea’s injury occurred in the first half of the All Blacks’ 29-24 defeat to the Springboks in Soweto, a match in which he scored two tries before being forced from the field.
The All Blacks went on to lose the series 3-1, with Savea’s absence forcing a reshuffle in the loose forwards and Codie Taylor taking over as captain for the final test in Baltimore.