New Zealand loose forward Jerome Kaino faces a race against time to be fit to play the British and Irish Lions in late June and early July after electing to have surgery on a meniscus tear in his knee.
The hulking blindside flanker, who has played 77 times for the All Blacks and won two World Cups, suffered the injury in Super Rugby action for the Auckland Blues two weeks ago and will have surgery on Friday.
Blues assistant coach Steve Jackson said the operation would sideline the 34-year-old for four to six weeks but was confident he would have time to prove his fitness before the first test against the Lions on 24 June.
"He was feeling it and it was locking up on him," Jackson told reporters in Auckland.
"Potentially he could have played but it was causing discomfort and if it locked up during game time we would have had to replace him anyway.
"He'll get his feet up and normally you come back quick from those sorts of operations. I'm pretty sure he'll be fine for the Lions tour."
As in most positions, the All Blacks do not lack for cover at blindside flanker with Liam Squire, Elliot Dixon, Steven Luatua and the experienced Liam Messam all proven performers at test level.
