All Blacks lose star playmaker for rest of the year
INJURY UPDATE: The All Blacks’ flyhalf stocks have taken a hit ahead of the Bledisloe Cup series and the Nations Championship.
On Monday, it was revealed that flyhalf Ruben Love will undergo surgery for an ankle ligament injury, ruling him out for the remainder of the year.
He sustained the injury in South Africa during the Greatest Rivalry series.
Love has had a breakout 2026. He steered the Hurricanes to their first Super Rugby Pacific title in a decade, then started the first six tests of the year in the No 10 jersey: three at home against France, Italy and Ireland, and the first three tests of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the Springboks.
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.”
Love was not named in the 34-player squad for the Bledisloe Cup, with Richie Mo’unga and Josh Jacomb selected as the specialist flyhalves.
Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie provide further cover.
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