All Blacks prop Joe Moody's long-awaited return to rugby ended in pain after the 29-year-old left the field with a fractured finger on Saturday.
Moody suffered finger damage in a club rugby match in North Canterbury - his first hit-out since being sidelined by a shoulder injury while on test duty against Argentina last September.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen told RadioLIVE's Sunday Sport the 31-test forward should be back in time for the June test series against France.
"Unfortunately Joe dislocated a finger and put it through the skin, so it's a bad compound fracture," he said.
"He won't be able to play for another five weeks, so that has put him back a bit. Hopefully, he will be back around the middle of May."
Elsewhere, Moody's All Blacks and Crusaders teammates, Israel Dagg (knee) and Owen Franks (Achilles tendon) both made triumphant returns in club rugby.
Like Moody, they hadn't played for more than six months.
Newshub.
