All Blacks skipper Read faces back surgery
New Zealand's Kieran Read holds up the Freedom Cup following the Rugby Championship match between New Zealand and South Africa at Albany Stadium in Auckland on September 16, 2017. PHOTO | MICHAEL BRADLEY |
What you need to know:
- The reigning Super Rugby champions said Read would have an operation Saturday on a prolapsed disc, which normally requires four months' recovery.
- The injury dogged Read during the All Blacks' recent Northern Hemisphere tour, forcing him to miss the season-ending Test against Wales.
WELLINGTON
All Blacks captain Kieran Read will miss the start of next year's Super Rugby season as he undergoes surgery to fix a back problem, the Canterbury Crusaders said Wednesday.
The reigning Super Rugby champions said Read would have an operation Saturday on a prolapsed disc, which normally requires four months' recovery.
The injury dogged Read during the All Blacks' recent Northern Hemisphere tour, forcing him to miss the season-ending Test against Wales.
"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," the Crusaders said in a statement.
If the Crusaders' four-month estimate is correct, Read will miss the Christchurch-based club's seven opening fixtures of the 2018 season.
