All Blacks suffer Wallace Sititi injury blow ahead of France series

All Blacks loose forward Wallace Sititi is out of the three-Test series against France due to an ankle injury.

Sititi, 22, was last year's World Rugby's Breakthrough Player of the Year but played a limited part in the Chiefs' Super Rugby Pacific campaign this season as he recovered from a knee injury he suffered on the All Blacks' 2024 end of year Northern Hemisphere tour.

Coach Scott Robertson has called in Crusaders No.8 Christian Lio-Willie as Sititi's replacement.

A statement from New Zealand Rugby said Sititi "was seen by a surgeon last night regarding a high ankle injury and it has been determined that he will require surgery... a further medical assessment will be made in three weeks to determine his likely return to play."

Lio-Willie was already with the squad as injury cover for Chiefs loose forward Luke Jacobson.

Blues loose forward Dalton Papali'i has now been called in to replace Lio-Willie as that injury cover.

No.8 Sititi was almost certain to start the first Test in Dunedin a week on Saturday and the selectors now have a big decision to make.

Lio-Willie is a like-for-like replacement and could be a straight swap, with fellow newcomer Du'Plessis Kirifi adding impact from the bench.

On the other hand, the selectors could opt to start Kirifi at openside flanker, with Ardie Savea starting at No.8, Samipeni Finau at blindside flanker and Lio-Willie on the bench.

The All Blacks' team will be announced next Thursday.