Under the knife

All Blacks’ captain Kieran Read will miss the start of the 2018 Super Rugby season following a back injury sustained in the recent Autumn International Series.

The 32-year-old is set to undergo surgery and is likely to miss the next four months, keeping him out of the Crusaders’ early fixtures in 2018. Read will miss games agains the likes of the Chiefs, Hurricanes and Highlanders.

“He has been reviewed by both the All Blacks and Crusaders medical teams, as well as a back specialist, who will continue to monitor his recovery. Expected recovery time for such injuries is approximately four months,” a Crusaders statement read.

The number eight has struggled with injury in 2017 but returned to play a starring role in the British and Irish Lions series before the number eight helped New Zealand to another unbeaten Rugby Championship campaign.

He finished the season by captaining them on their northern hemisphere tour, where they once again won all their matches, but the back-row was forced out of their game against Wales.