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New Zealand’s Wallace Sititi in action with England’s Ollie Lawrence in the Autumn International match at Allianz Stadium Twickenham in London, Britain on November 2, 2024.
The All Blacks says loose forward Wallace Sititi is to undergo surgery on an ankle injury and will miss the three-test series against France in July.
Twenty-two-year-old Sititi, who plays number eight and was World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year last year, will be replaced in the squad by Christian Lio-Willie.
Lio-Willie, who is uncapped, was already with the squad as injury cover for Luke Jacobson, so openside flanker Dalton Papali’i has now been called up to fill that role.
New Zealand host France in the opening test in Dunedin on July 5 before further clashes in Wellington and Hamilton on the following weekends.
