Dan Carter has been ruled out of rugby for the rest of the Tri-Nations series and may miss the end-of-year Grand Slam tour of Europe after a calf injury turned out to be a fractured leg.
Carter had to be helped from the field late in the All Blacks’ 30-13 Tri-Nations defeat of Australia in Sydney on Saturday and the initial diagnosis suggested a calf injury.,
However, further medical examination on his return to New Zealand has revealed a fractured fibula in addition to “significant damage” to deep muscles and other tissues in his calf.
Carter will be out of rugby for at least six weeks. He will miss the All Blacks Tri-Nations home Tests against South Africa on August 27 and Australia a week later, and could miss the Grand Slam tour which takes in Tests against Wales, England, Ireland and Scotland.
A New Zealand Rugby Union statement said the injury could keep the outstanding pivot sidelined for up to 12 weeks, meaning he may not play until mid-November.
The All Blacks play their first Grand Slam Test against Wales at Cardiff on November 5.
All Blacks doctor Graham Paterson said Carter’s left leg would be immobilised and he would be confined to bed rest, but surgery was unlikely.
Carter has scored 315 points from his 22 All Black appearances.
