All Blacks five-eighth Dan Carter will have surgery to remove bone spurs from his right ankle.

Carter limped from the field during New Zealand’s Test against England at Twickenham last month and All Blacks team doctor Tony Page said the 31-year-old was suffering wear and tear in his right Achilles tendon.

“Separately from that, Dan has some bone spurs in the same ankle which need to be removed, so he will have an operation for that. This is similar to what he had done a few years ago,” Page said.

Carter has begun a six-month break from rugby and will not rejoin his Crusaders Super Rugby side until July.