All Blacks captain Scott Barrett ruled out of rugby for three to five months
Wednesday, 27 May 2026
All Blacks captain Scott Barrett has been ruled out of rugby for three to five months.
Crusaders coach Rob Penney confirmed the lock requires back surgery, wiping him out for the rest of Super Rugby, and the bulk of the All Blacks’ test season.
Most notably, the 32-year-old will miss the All Blacks’ tour of South Africa, which will be preceded by the upcoming Nations Championship tests at home.
“He has tried every non-evasive trick you could do to get right and it just hasn’t come off, so he’ll be in the operating theatre by the end of the week,” Penney said.
Barrett had been on a non-playing sabbatical to start 2026, a break he utilised to have surgery on a troublesome ankle and Achilles.
He had been nearing a return in late April after returning to training, but by early May his comeback had been put on ice.
Last week Penney said Barrett was “having a continuation of his frustration round his back”, suggesting a Super Rugby return was looking increasingly unlikely.
Speaking to media at Rugby Park on Wednesday, hours after his successor - Scott Hansen was announced - Penney said Barrett was as frustrated as everyone in the building was for him.
“But he’s got his head around it now, a pretty special trip to South Africa that he’s going to miss, and some other bits and pieces. But, ultimately, he’s just got to get himself right.”
Barrett’s position as All Blacks captain had been under review following the sacking of coach Scott Robertson and the appointment of Dave Rennie as his successor.
His back surgery means Rennie will need to name a new captain when he reveals his first squad at the end of June.
Ardie Savea, who Rennie has been coaching in Japan, looms as the leading contender, with his fellow incumbent vice-captain Jordie Barrett and veteran hooker Codie Taylor two other options.
When visiting Super Rugby teams on a flying visit from Japan earlier this month, Rennie didn't specify if he would retain Barrett as captain.
He was reluctant to comment while Barrett was still sidelined with his back injury.
The Crusaders host the Hurricanes on Friday night, needing a win to have a chance at hosting a match in the first round of the top-six playoffs, which start next week.
They had been hoping to be boosted by Barrett ahead of the playoffs, only for the second-rower to be ruled out a day after fullback and fellow All Black Will Jordan was scratched for the rest of the campaign with a calf injury.
Penney confirmed Jordan’s calf injury, sustained against the Chiefs last Friday, wasn’t a re-aggravation of the calf strain that sidelined him for six weeks, but rather something ‘new’.
Jordan and Barrett are two of eight Crusaders ruled out for the campaign, joining a list that includes All Blacks prop Tamaiti Williams (discitis) and lock Will Tucker (shoulder), who was brought into the squad to cover Barrett while on sabbatical.
Loose forward Cullen Grace (knee) hasn’t played all season, but is yet to be ruled out entirely.
The Crusaders are hopeful lock Tahlor Cahill, centre Braydon Ennor and hooker George Bell return during the playoffs.
The first All Blacks test of the year is against France on July 4 and will also be played at One New Zealand Stadium.
They also host Italy and Ireland in the new Nations Championship that month, before facing the Springboks four times in August and September.
A couple of Bledisloe Cup tests on either side of the Tasman then loom, plus four more Nations Championship tests in the northern hemisphere.