Back surgery means All Blacks captain Scott Barrett will miss Nations Championship

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleCaptain Scott Barrett of the All Blacks leads the team off the field prior to the The Gallagher Cup (Getty)New Zealand rugby captain Scott Barrett has undergone back surgery, sidelining him for up to five months. This injury means Barrett will miss the start of the Nations Championship and the inaugural Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series. He is set to miss four Tests against the Springboks, along with home fixtures against France, Italy, and Ireland. His absence creates a captaincy dilemma for newly-appointed New Zealand coach Dave Rennie, with Ardie Savea considered a frontrunner to step in. Fellow Crusader Will Jordan is also a doubt for the international season opener against France on 4 July due to a calf issue. In fullAll Blacks captain Scott Barrett to miss Nations Championship and Springboks series after back surgeryThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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