All Blacks captain Ardie Savea faces lengthy spell on sideline after surgery confirmed

All Blacks captain Ardie Savea is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after it was confirmed he will undergo shoulder surgery.

The star loose forward dislocated his shoulder during in the third test against South Africa in Soweto earlier this month, which saw him return home early and miss the series finale in the United States.

Savea had already been ruled out for next month's Bledisloe Cup tests against Australia, now his involvement in the Nations Championship at the end of the year is in doubt after New Zealand Rugby on Monday confirmed the 32-year-old will require surgery.

NZ Rugby said a return-to-play timeframe for Savea will not be known until after surgery. However, with the rehabilitation time for shoulder surgery typically taking around six months, it is unlikely the All Blacks' skipper will return to the field before the end of 2026.