1 May 2010

All Blacks winger out for rest of the year

6:42 am on 1 May 2010

The All Blacks and Chiefs winger Sitiveni Sivivatu is to have shoulder surgery, ruling him out of rugby for the rest of the year.

Sivivatu returned to the Super 14 competition last week after recovering from a knee strain but has dislocated his left shoulder several times during the past year.

The Chiefs coach Ian Foster says Sivivatu met with a specialist on Thursday and was told he could no longer nurse the injury as it requires surgery.

Sivivatu had the same type of surgery on his right shoulder in 2004.

First five Stephen Donald will also miss the Chiefs match against the Hurricanes this weekend with a calf injury while Sione Lauaki is also out, recovering from an arm injury he suffered in a car crash at the weekend.

Meanwhile both the Hurricanes and the Chiefs have decided to keep their All Black halfbacks, Piri Weepu and Brendon Leonard, on the bench for the match.

Tyson Keats and Junior Polu have retained their places in the Hurricanes and Chiefs starting lineups respectively.