The All Blacks have confirmed that first-five Ruben Love will miss the remainder of the year after sustaining an ankle ligament injury on the Greatest Rivalry tour in South Africa.
Love is set to undergo ankle surgery, which will rule him out of the two Bledisloe Cup Tests against the Wallabies, as well as the three end-of-year Nations Championship Tests against Scotland, Wales, and England.
At this stage it is unclear whether the Hurricanes star will be available for the start of the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific season.
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie said Love had been managing the ankle for much of the season.
"He sort of nursed it a little bit through Super Rugby. He's tough, Ruben,” said Rennie.
Love has been favoured by Rennie this year, starting six Tests in the 10 jersey before sitting out the Baltimore Test against the Springboks.
Richie Mo'unga and Josh Jacomb have been selected as the specialist first fives in the 34-man Bledisloe Cup squad, with Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie providing further cover.
Mo'unga featured in two matches for the All Blacks in South Africa, starting at first-five against the Lions as well as in the Baltimore Test. He also featured for Canterbury in two NPC matches before the Springboks tour, but was not released to play for them since returning from South Africa.
Jacomb and Barrett both featured for Taranaki in their final regular season game, as they defeated Wellington 68-26 in New Plymouth.
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