All Blacks Winger Leroy Carter Ruled Out for Remainder of 2026 Test Season After Ankle Surgery
All Blacks winger Leroy Carter will miss the rest of the 2026 international campaign following surgery for a high-ankle injury sustained during the opening Bledisloe Cup test against Australia at Eden Park, Newstalk ZB reported. The 27-year-old was injured in the 50-19 victory while scoring a try, when Wallabies flanker Rob Valetini fell on his lower leg in an attempt to stop him. Carter was helped from the field and missed the reverse fixture in Sydney, which the All Blacks won 43-21, before confirming his extended layoff on Monday.
Mounting Casualty Ward and Northern Tour Absences
Carter’s absence adds to a growing injury list for Dave Rennie’s side ahead of their four-test Northern Tour of Europe. The All Blacks have already ruled out six players for the trip, which begins against Scotland on November 8 (NZT). Captain Ardie Savea is sidelined with a shoulder injury, loose forward Luke Jacobson is out with an elbow issue, winger Caleb Clarke is recovering from a shoulder injury, first five-eighths Ruben Love is dealing with an ankle problem, and prop Ollie Norris is out with a knee injury.
Rugbypass.com reported that several other players remain under injury clouds. Crusaders first five-eighths Richie Mo’unga is managing a calf injury that leaves his availability for the opening tests against Scotland and Wales uncertain, though coaches expect him to return for the final two matches of the tour. Meanwhile, Anton Segner, Asafo Aumua, and Quinn Tupaea are expected to be named in the upcoming squad despite picking up concussions during the Bledisloe Cup series. Jordie Barrett also missed the second test in Sydney due to precautionary calf tightness.
Scans Pending for Shannon Frizell and Samisoni Taukei’aho
The coaching staff awaits scan results for loose forward Shannon Frizell and hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho, both of whom picked up injuries during the second half of Saturday’s win in Sydney. Frizell appeared to suffer a non-contact knee injury in midfield while taking a hit-up, while Taukei’aho departed late in the match due to calf tightness.
“We’re not sure on Shannon, but usually those sort of non-contact injury injuries, it would be remiss of me to chuck something out there and say ‘we think it’s this’ because we need to get him scanned, which will be Monday,” All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan told Newstalk ZB’s D’Arcy Waldegrave on Sunday. “Same with Samisoni Taukei’aho, he went off with a little bit of a tightness in his calf, so we’ll just see where he’s at and he’ll get scanned as well.”
Remaining Schedule in the Nations Championship
The All Blacks are set to name a 34 to 36-man squad on Tuesday for their Nations Championship fixtures in Europe. Following the opening match against Scotland on November 8, the side faces Wales in Cardiff on November 15 and England in London on November 22. The round-robin stage concludes before a finals weekend scheduled for November 27-29 at Allianz Stadium, where Northern Hemisphere teams will play their corresponding Southern Hemisphere seeded opponents.
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