Australia's Rugby Championship campaign has been rocked by the news David Pocock will be out for up to three months after undergoing surgery.
The Wallabies skipper damaged the articular cartilage in his right knee during last weekend's opening loss to New Zealand in Sydney and underwent keyhole surgery on Tuesday.
Pocock will now miss the remainder of the Rugby Championship and his position on November's Spring Tour is also in doubt.
Joining Pocock on the sidelines is the Wallaby forward Sekope Kepu.
The powerful prop sustained a grade two strain to the medial ligament of his right knee in training on Tuesday, an injury that can typically put a player out of action for a month.
The Wallabies will name their team for this weekend's clash with the All Blacks in Auckland on Thursday with halfback Will Genia to replace Pocock as captain.
Genia, who captained Australia once before against the United States in last year's World Cup, is the fourth man to hold the position in just over 12 months, following Rocky Elsom, James Horwill, and Pocock.
Elsom was not selected in the Wallabies' initial Rugby Championship squad and Horwill is still suffering from a ham string injury sustained during Super Rugby.
