Rugby: Tupaea Sidelined For Nine Months

New Zealand Quinn Tupaea will be out for nine months following a knee injury he sustained during a clear-out by Australia’s Darcy Swain in Melbourne earlier this month.

The team said on Thursday that further scans on the anterior cruciate ligament injury revealed “more extensive damage” that would require surgery, extending his period on the sidelines by six months.

Tupea will miss the entirety of next year’s Super Rugby season and face a challenging time getting back into All Blacks reckoning in time for the World Cup in France.