Leroy Carter has had surgery on his left ankle and will miss all three All Blacks Tests in Europe: Scotland, Wales and England.
The tackle that did it becomes illegal on 1 November, three weeks too late for him.
“It didn’t look good,” Dave Rennie said after the Eden Park Test. “Sort of like a hip-drop type tackle, landed on the back of his ankle.”
Josh Moorby scored twice in Carter’s place in Sydney. The left wing is now his to lose.
First, the question for the comments: should a tackle that ends a player’s season have to wait until 1 November to be a penalty?
Leroy Carter injury: surgery done, no return date
New Zealand Rugby confirmed the surgery on 19 October and gave no return date.
Rugby365 reports that Carter is out for the rest of 2026. That takes in Finals Weekend at Twickenham too.
He is the sixth All Black ruled out of the tour. The NZ Herald lists the other five:
- Ardie Savea, shoulder
- Luke Jacobson, elbow
- Caleb Clarke, shoulder
- Ruben Love, ankle
- Ollie Norris, knee
For a wing, a high ankle is the worst one to do. Every step and every push-off goes through it.
The hip-drop ban starts on 1 November
Carter was scoring New Zealand’s fifth try at Eden Park on 67 minutes when Rob Valetini came across from behind to stop him.
RNZ reported that Carter left the ground on crutches with a badly swollen left ankle. It called the Wallabies loose forward’s tackle a “hip drop”.
Rennie added: “I’m sure it’s not intentional, but that’s the way the game’s going.” Asked whether it should be punished, he said: “I’ll leave that for the officials.”
World Rugby wrote the hip-drop into the laws the week before that Test. From 1 November it counts as dangerous play, with at least a penalty and a possible suspension.
Moorby scored twice in Carter’s shirt
Moorby started the second Bledisloe Test on the left wing and scored twice in the 43-21 win on 17 October.
He backed up Codie Taylor’s line break for the opener on 12 minutes.
Three minutes after half-time he finished Timoci Tavatavanawai’s break. New Zealand did not score again.
The NZ Herald now expects him “to play a key role for the rest of the campaign”.
Chay Fihaki had a harder debut. On for Will Jordan at half-time, he made a line break, then could not gather his own grubber.
With four minutes left he went to the bin for head-on-head contact with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.
Emoni Narawa, called up with Fihaki before Eden Park, has not played in either Test.
My call is Moorby at Murrayfield. Fihaki’s 40 minutes ended in the bin and Narawa has not had a minute, so nobody has taken the shirt off him.
All Blacks injuries: Sydney added to the list
Sydney cost more bodies. Jordie Barrett pulled out on match day with a tight calf, and Quinn Tupaea lasted under two minutes before a concussion.
Tavatavanawai went off injured on 68 minutes with the bench already used. That is three centres hurt in one Test.
Up front, Samisoni Taukei’aho left with a tight calf and Shannon Frizell went down without contact. Forwards coach Jason Ryan said Frizell would have a scan on Monday.
Richie Mo’unga tore a calf before Eden Park, so third-choice 10 Damian McKenzie has started both Tests.
After Sydney, Rennie even wondered aloud about the monster trucks on the Accor Stadium pitch.
All Blacks vs Scotland at Murrayfield comes first
The tour opens against Scotland at Murrayfield on 7 November. Wales follow on 14 November, then England at Twickenham on 21 November.
Finals Weekend is at Twickenham from 27 to 29 November.
Stuff reported that Rennie will name his squad after the NPC final. Kick-off times are on the All Blacks fixtures page.
Your turn: who gets the 11 shirt?
Moorby has two tries in it. Fihaki has a debut with a yellow card in it, and Narawa has not played.
Moorby, Fihaki or Narawa on the left wing at Murrayfield? Settle it below.
Frequently asked
What is Leroy Carter’s injury?
A high ankle sprain to his left ankle, suffered while scoring a try in the 50-19 win over Australia at Eden Park on 10 October 2026. He has since had surgery.
How long is Leroy Carter out?
New Zealand Rugby has not given a return date. He misses the Tests against Scotland, Wales and England, and Rugby365 reports that he is out for the rest of 2026.
Who replaces Leroy Carter on the All Blacks left wing?
Josh Moorby started in his place in Sydney and scored twice in the 43-21 win. Chay Fihaki and Emoni Narawa were also called into the squad during the Bledisloe series.
Was the tackle on Leroy Carter a hip-drop?
RNZ called Rob Valetini’s tackle a “hip drop”. Dave Rennie said it was “sort of like a hip-drop type tackle” and that he was sure it was not intentional. The hip-drop becomes dangerous play under World Rugby law from 1 November 2026.
When do the All Blacks play Scotland?
Saturday 7 November 2026 at Murrayfield, the first of three Nations Championship Tests in Europe.
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