All Blacks captain Scott Barrett has been ruled out for up to five months after being forced to undergo back surgery, ending any prospect of his involvement in New Zealand's eight-match tour of South Africa in August and September, including the four-test "Rugby's Greatest Rivalry" series against the Springboks.
Crusaders coach Rob Penney confirmed on Wednesday that the 88-test lock will go under the knife before the end of the week after exhausting all non-surgical options.
"He has tried every non-invasive trick you could do to get right and it just hasn't come off, so he'll be in the operating theatre by the end of the week," Penney said in Christchurch.
Barrett had taken a sabbatical earlier this year to manage persistent lower leg injuries and was set to return to play in April, only to be derailed by the back complaint flaring up. Penney described Barrett's frustration, noting he had returned from his break in excellent condition and in high spirits before the setback struck.
"He's got his head around it now. It's a pretty special trip to South Africa that he's going to miss," Penney said. "Ultimately, he's just got to get himself right."
The 32-year-old will also miss New Zealand's home Nations Championship tests against France, Italy and Ireland in July.
Barrett's absence lands at a complicated moment in his All Blacks career. His captaincy — handed to him when Scott Robertson was appointed in 2024 — was already under scrutiny following Robertson's dismissal in January and the appointment of Dave Rennie as head coach in March. Several former players have questioned not only Barrett's leadership but his place in the starting XV at lock. Ardie Savea, Codie Taylor and Jordie Barrett have all been mentioned as potential captaincy candidates under Rennie.
Rennie has consulted widely on the captaincy question, including a two-hour session with former All Blacks luminaries Richie McCaw, Dan Carter and Keven Mealamu, as well as New Zealand NBA star Steven Adams.
"There will be a lot of talk about captaincy, but the ability to grow the leadership within the group is paramount for us," Rennie said.
Rennie names his first squad on 22 June. Will Jordan is also sidelined for the remainder of the Super Rugby season with a calf injury, though the Crusaders wing is expected to be available for the July tests.