Sonny Bill Williams is set to miss Crusaders' two pre-season matches after undergoing minor keyhole surgery on a knee injury.
Williams delays Canterbury debut after knee surgery
Sonny Bill Williams is set to miss Crusaders' two pre-season matches after undergoing minor keyhole surgery on a knee injury.
The 24-year-old, who recently pledged his future to the Canterbury side with an eye on a place in New Zealand's World Cup squad, needed the operation to clear up some cartilage damage.
The former rugby league star is now fighting for a place in the side's starting line-up for the ITM national provincial competition opener against Hawke's Bay on July 30.
"His integration back into playing is something we've got to consider, obviously, and what avenue that takes will be discussed over the next few weeks," Canterbury coach Rob Penney said.
"They're saying two to three weeks - by this Thursday he would have had a week so who knows how soon he can be back?
"It's just one of those things and you deal with it all the time. We're always having players injured as it's just the nature of the game so it's not so much disappointing as one of those things to deal with.
"With him not being able to play as major part as we were thinking about in terms of the pre-season fixtures, it does add another level to the challenges that are there."
Penney said no decision had been made as to where Williams would play.
"We've got some ideas as everyone knows around midfield and probably a bit wider as well so there's some opportunities there, and as they come along it will be up to him to make the most of them because we've got a pretty talented group, and they won't want to be relinquishing their spots in the team," he said.
"It's going to create some lovely selection headaches as the season unfolds, I hope."
