Centre Jordie Barrett has been ruled out of the second Test against Australia on Saturday with a knee injury, the All Blacks have announced.
He will miss Saturday’s return match against the Wallabies in Wellington after limping off at half time in Sydney last week before New Zealand clinched a 31-28 victory over Australia to retain the Bledisloe Cup.
Barrett, one of three brothers in the All Blacks squad, flew back to New Zealand with the team wearing a knee brace.
The injury throws a question mark over whether the 27-year-old will be fit for New Zealand’s tour of Japan and Europe, starting late October.
“Jordie Barrett’s injury is confirmed as a medial collateral ligament. He is out for this weekend and will be reassessed before the northern tour,” an All Blacks media manager on Tuesday.
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Uncapped Crusaders back Chay Fihaki has joined the squad as injury cover. The All Blacks face Japan in Yokohama on 26 October, before playing England, Ireland, France and Italy on their end-of-year tour.
Barrett is set to join Irish club Leinster at the end of the year as part of a six-month sabbatical from his current New Zealand Rugby contract, which runs until 2028.
New Zealand cannot retain the Rugby Championship title having already lost twice away to current leaders South Africa this season, as well as suffering a shock home defeat to Argentina in Wellington.
The All Blacks sit third in the table with Australia bottom after a single win over Argentina and four defeats.
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