Bad news for New Zealand a little over a month before the start of the Nations Championship. Scott Barrett, 32, All Blacks captain and Crusaders lock, is due to undergo back surgery before the end of the week. He is expected to be out for between three and five months, according to information from RugbyPass, which rules him out of the entire competition and the trip to France.

Imminent surgery, a schedule in jeopardy

The Crusaders have confirmed the news: their captain will have back surgery in the coming days. With a recovery expected to take three to five months, Barrett will not be available for the All Blacks’ summer tour or for the opening match of the Nations Championship against France, scheduled in a little over a month’s time. According to Sud Ouest, Will Jordan is also among the doubts for that fixture, which complicates New Zealand’s preparation still further.

A leader missing at the worst possible moment

The loss of Scott Barrett goes beyond the purely sporting. All Blacks captain, he has also been one of the benchmarks of the New Zealand pack for several seasons. His injury comes at an already delicate time for the Crusaders, who finished 9th in the 2024 season under Rob Penney, before Scott Hansen took charge of the club. Without their captain, New Zealand will have to make do without their pack leader as they approach this brand-new Nations Championship.

France denied a prestige duel

For France, Barrett’s withdrawal changes the shape of the clash scheduled for this summer. Facing the All Blacks without their reigning captain takes nothing away from what is at stake, but it does deprive the match of an additional duel between the best players in the world. According to Quinze Mondial, Barrett could miss the entire Nations Championship, which means his return to international rugby should not come before autumn 2026 at the earliest.