All Blacks captain Savea to have shoulder surgery

Ardie Savea, the captain of the All Blacks, will undergo shoulder surgery following a dislocation during the series against South Africa. This injury will sideline him for at least the Bledisloe Cup tests against Australia later this month. The recovery timeline following such shoulder surgery typically spans four to six months, which will also prevent Savea from participating in the second half of the Nations Championship in November.

Additionally, fellow loose forward Luke Jacobson will miss the season due to an elbow tendon injury, while winger Caleb Clarke has already played his final match this year due to a ruptured shoulder tendon, ruling him out for five months. Prop Ollie Norris is expected to return for the Super Rugby pre-season after recovering from a knee cartilage injury.

Centre Anton Lienert-Brown and Billy Proctor, who both suffered knee injuries, are anticipated to return within four to six weeks. Centre Quinn Tupaea is projected to be back in one to two weeks following his knee issue. Flanker Anton Segner, who is dealing with ankle-joint inflammation, is also set to return within the next couple of weeks.

Hooker George Bell, who was sent home from South Africa with a calf injury, recently scored a hat-trick of tries for Canterbury. New Zealand takes on Australia in Auckland on October 10, with the return match scheduled for Sydney the following week.