Chiefs star Anton Lienert-Brown will be sidelined for approximately six months with a shoulder injury.
The All Blacks midfielder sustained the injury in the opening stages of the Chiefs' 25-0 loss to the Blues at Hamilton on Saturday, after taking a knock at a ruck from opposition halfback Sam Nock.
The 26-year-old will undergo surgery on Wednesday which will rule him out of the rest of the Super Rugby season and the majority of the All Blacks' international calendar.
The Rugby Championship is scheduled to start in August, after a three-test home series against Ireland in July.
"Shoulder is going to need a bit more work than I was hoping," Lienert-Brown wrote in an Instagram post on Monday.
"Going under the knife this week which will put me out for 6 months. A bump in the road but the journey continues. I'll be back ... appreciate all the support."
Lienert-Brown injured the same shoulder in last year's test against Ireland at Dublin during the All Blacks' European tour, which saw him miss the following week's test against France.
It's another major injury blow for the Chiefs, who are already without All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick, who's expected to miss up to the next seven weeks with a broken thumb.
