Rugby-Crusaders mired in prop crisis as Moody's Super season done

FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - 2018 Bledisloe Cup Rugby Championship - Australia v New Zealand - Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand - August 25, 2018 - New Zealand's Joe Moody celebrates with teammates after scoring a try. REUTERS/Ross Setford

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - All Blacks prop Joe Moody has been ruled out of the rest of the Canterbury Crusaders' Super Rugby Pacific title defence following surgery to repair an ankle tendon but he is expected to be available for World Cup selection.

Moody, injured during the victory over the Auckland Blues two weeks ago, may be sidelined for eight weeks, the Crusaders said on Thursday, which would mean missing most, if not all, of the truncated Rugby Championship starting on July 8.