Stint on sideline for SBW

All Blacks and Blues midfielder Sonny Bill Williams is heading for knee surgery that must cast a cloud over his World Cup prospects later this year.

The Blues revealed after training yesterday that the 33-year-old second five-eighths, who is bidding to be part of an historic third straight World Cup triumph with the All Blacks, faces at least six weeks on the sideline in the wake of ‘‘minor’’ arthroscopic surgery on his knee scheduled for today.

The veteran injured the knee against the Stormers on March 30.

A six-week recovery period would see him, at best, make it back on the field for the closing stages of the Super Rugby season and severely limit his chances to prove his fitness and form in a crowded field of midfield contenders for the World Cup squad.

Williams has been withdrawn from the All Blacks ‘‘foundation day’’ in Wellington on Monday and will not be replaced.

‘‘It’s a big blow,’’ Blues coach Leon Macdonald said. ‘‘It’s unfortunate for him. He obviously landed on it awkwardly and did some damage there.

‘‘But for him to have a plan in place and a return-to-rugby plan will help him. We’ll miss him on the field but he’s still contributing in the meeting-room and where he can.’’

Macdonald wasn’t sure how quickly and effectively Williams would be able to come back from the procedure on knees that have been well hammered over his lengthy career and was not willing to speculate on what it might mean for the multi-code international’s sporting future.

But the Blues coach said if anybody could make it back in quick time from such an injury it would be the ‘‘driven’’ Williams.

‘‘Whatever he decides to do and puts his mind to, he sort of makes happen,’’ added Macdonald. ‘‘If he still wants to keep playing later on he’s the sort of guy you would never write off.

‘‘He’s a determined guy and this year he really wants to make the World Cup squad and be a part of that. So he’s pretty driven to make sure he recovers well from this and gets back on the field.’’

Williams has played 51 tests for the All Blacks and was a key figure in both the 2011 and 2015 World Cup triumphs. However, he has been hampered by injury in recent years.

Williams would have been under pressure as it was to make the cut among a quality cast of All Black midfield contenders, including the likes of Ryan Crotty, Ngani Laumape, Anton Lienert-brown, Jack Goodhue, Matt Proctor, Rob Thompson and his Blues team-mate Ma’a Nonu.

Meanwhile, All Blacks props Karl Tu’inukuafe and Ofa Tu’ungafasi have been promoted to starting duties for the Blues side against the Chiefs in Hamilton tomorrow night.