Wallace Sititi on the burst against France in 2024. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Loose forward Wallace Sititi has been ruled out of the upcoming three-test series against France with an ankle injury.
Sititi, 22, was last year's World Rugby's Breakthrough Player of the Year but played a limited part in the Chiefs' Super Rugby Pacific campaign this season as he recovered from a knee injury he suffered on the All Blacks' 2024 end of year Northern Hemisphere tour.
Coach Scott Robertson has called in Crusaders number eight Christian Lio-Willie as Sititi's replacement.
A statement from New Zealand Rugby said Sititi "was seen by a surgeon last night regarding a high ankle injury and it has been determined that he will require surgery...a further medical assessment will be made in three weeks to determine his likely return to play."
Lio-Willie was already with the squad as injury cover for Luke Jacobson.
Blues loose forward Dalton Papali'I has now been called in to replace Lio-Willie as injury cover for Jacobson.
The All Blacks kick off their test series against against France in Dunedin on 5 July.
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