Ardie Savea

All Blacks captain Savea plans shoulder surgery

All Blacks captain Ardie Savea will undergo shoulder surgery after dislocating his shoulder in the South Africa series, ruling him out of next month’s Bledisloe Cup tests and making a return in 2026 unlikely for the Nations Championship, with recovery expected to be around six months. He joins a casualty list that includes Luke Jacobson and Caleb Clarke, while several other teammates are anticipated back within weeks, highlighting a tumultuous period for New Zealand Rugby ahead of the Wallabies clashes and year-end fixtures.