All Blacks captain Kieran Read will have surgery to correct a back injury on Saturday and is unlikely to be back playing until mid‑April.
The surgery will be on a prolapsed lumbar disc in his back, an injury he got at the end of the All Blacks season.
On that scenario, Read would miss the Crusaders' first seven Super Rugby games for 2018, possibly returning for their match against the Sunwolves in Christchurch on April 21.
Read, who was forced to withdraw from the All Blacks' final game of the season against Wales in Cardiff on November 26 because of the injury, posted on social media a picture of himself sitting in front of a TV set watching a game of cricket.
Meanwhile, members of the Crusaders team Seta Tamanivalu, Jordan Taufua and Mitch Hunt will be arriving in Fiji at 6.30 this evening with the Super Rugby Trophy.
They will be meeting with some local fans at a Meet and Greet session at Nadi International Airport.
Source: Radio NZ
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