All Blacks’ young star Wallace Sititi is set to miss a major part of the Super Rugby campaign after suffering a knee injury in the Autumn Series, with fears he could be out for the entire season.
His Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan confirmed the 2024 World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year will have surgery on Friday.
Wallace Sititi. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
“The fact that he’s got to have surgery gives you an indication that it’s reasonably serious,” McMillan said.
“He’s able to walk around, so it’s one of those little niggles that you never truly know the extent of until you get under the surgeon’s knife and they can give some clarity.”
“A huge loss,” McMillan added. “Everyone’s seen how he’s played over the last 12 months and it’s never nice to lose players of that calibre.
“It’s unfortunate that he’s just not out there playing. He generates a lot of excitement for his ability, we’ll miss him, and all we can do is jump in behind the young man and help with his rehab – however long that takes – and get him back out on the field.”
Sititi played 80 minutes in all five matches of the All Blacks’ Autumn Series Tests following his stunning breakthrough as the Chiefs made the Super Rugby final in 2024.
He posted a message on social media on New Year’s Eve, saying a “tough start to the year” was incoming.
Sititi debuted off the bench against Fiji in San Diego in July, before impressing in The Rugby Championship against the Springboks and Wallabies.
The Chiefs will also be without Shaun Stevenson, who has been allowed to miss the opening three matches of the Super season to have a short-term stint in Japanese rugby.
Sititi’s absence could be a boost for former Brumby Jahrome Brown, who has just joined the Chiefs.
