All Blacks prop Atu Moli ruled out for season with hip injury
Super Rugby Aotearoa kicks off with Highlanders vs Chiefs on June 13 and Blues vs Hurricanes on June 14, live on Sky Sports
Wednesday 10 June 2020 07:30, UK
New Zealand prop Atu Moli has been ruled out of the 2020 season with a hip injury that requires surgery.
Waikato Chiefs announced the news on Wednesday saying the 24-year-old will have surgery on both his left and right hips to treat "chronic hip dysfunction".
The Chiefs have been badly hit by injuries with winger Sam McNicol also ruled out of New Zealand's entire domestic Super Rugby Aotearoa season, which starts on Saturday, live on Sky.
Warren Gatland's side, who are playing the Otago Highlanders in the season opener in Dunedin, are already without New Zealand captain Sam Cane who has suffered a back injury.
Chiefs prop Angus Ta'avao is also sidelined until mid-July as he recovers from surgery on a quadriceps injury.
The Highlanders are hoping 20,000 fans will attend Saturday's match against the Chiefs in the first major rugby match to be played in front of fans since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
