Ardea Savea after suffering the dislocated shoulder against South Africa. Alamy Stock Photo

All Blacks captain Ardie Savea to undergo shoulder surgery

No definitive timeline in place for return.

ALL BLACKS CAPTAIN Ardie Savea is set to undergo shoulder surgery, with no definitive timeline in place for his return.

Savea dislocated his shoulder in the third match of the Southern Hemisphere rivals’ Test series against South Africa, which New Zealand ultimately won 3-1.

The 32-year-old forward missed the final Baltimore Test after his injury in Johannesburg, and an All Blacks injury report on Monday confirmed that Savea “will require surgery” with a “likely return to play to be determined” thereafter. 

The statement notes that “his availability for the Bledisloe Cup series remains uncertain and will depend on further assessment,” but that appears too soon with the recovery timeline typically four to six months. 

The Bledisloe Cup against Australia begins at Eden Park on 10 October before the return clash at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on 17 October, with the All Blacks holding the title since 2003. 

And it appears Dave Rennie is preparing for it without his captain.

“Scott Barrett should be back in time for that as well, and players like Leicester Fainga’anuku, so you know we’ve lost a few, but we’ll get a few back, which is positive. We’ll pick a squad of 34. We’ve already had a little bit of a think around what that might look like, knowing that Luke Jacobson and Ardie, will be out,” said Rennie.

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