McCaw out for six weeks
All Blacks and Crusaders captain Richie McCaw faces an extended six-week absence at the start of the new Super Rugby season as a result of a stress fracture in his right foot.
McCaw was always going to miss the first two weeks, but it will now be the seventh week of the competition before he lines up after an injury suffered while McCaw was doing a running fitness test at Rugby Park in Christchurch last week.
He developed pain during the exercise and a scan late last week confirmed the stress fracture in the fifth metatarsal on his right foot.
McCaw will have a screw inserted into the bone during surgery next week.
"The injury is obviously disappointing but it's not likely to be one that will bother me in the long term. I'll have the operation and then get on with my rehab and look forward to turning out for the Crusaders when I'm given the all-clear by the medical staff," he said.
Kieran Read will captain the side in McCaw's absence.
McCaw said it was disappointing because he had been feeling 'pretty good' before the injury which was highlighted when he tried to change direction.
"I had a pretty good break away from the rugby environment but I was about to get back into training last week and I was really looking forward to throwing the ball around again, I was feeling pretty good," he said.
