New Zealand captain Ardie Savea is set to miss the rest of the year after undergoing surgery for a dislocated shoulder. The injury occurred during the third Test against South Africa.
Savea is expected to be absent from the All Blacks’ Nations Championship games in November, which include fixtures against Scotland, Wales, and England.
Fellow back rower Luke Jacobson also faces more than four months on the sidelines after elbow tendon surgery. Additionally, wing Caleb Clarke will miss the northern tour, and centres Anton Lienert-Brown and Billy Proctor are doubts for early November due to knee and shoulder injuries respectively.