Bledisloe Cup blow for All Blacks star Carter

Carter limped off in the Crusaders' 33-32 Super Rugby final loss to the Waratahs on Saturday night with what was initially described as a corked leg.

Scans have revealed a small fracture in his upper fibula, although Carter will not require surgery - limiting his lay-off to about four weeks.

However, that means he will miss at least the All Blacks' opening two Rugby Championship matches against the Australians in Sydney on August 16, and Auckland a week later.

Carter has not played for the All Blacks since he limped out of his 100th Test against England in November last year with an Achilles injury.

His six-month sabbatical kept him out of the June series against England, one the All Blacks swept 3-0.

Carter returned at second five-eighth for the Crusaders after the international break and in the past couple of weeks had been getting back to top form.

He was named in Steve Hansen's Rugby Championship squad, meaning team-mate Colin Slade " who the Crusaders kept in the number 10 jersey despite Carter's return " missed out on selection.

But Slade is likely to get an All Blacks recall while Aaron Cruden is shaping as the favourite to continue at first five-eighth against Australia.

Hansen also has another couple of injury headaches from the Super Rugby final.

Lock Dominic Bird has injured his right toe which will need further assessment, while props Wyatt Crockett (knee) and Joe Moody (concussion) are also on the casualty list.

Crockett is expected to be back training next week, while Moody, who is an injury replacement for Tony Woodcock, is making good progress.

The All Blacks are due to assemble in Auckland on Thursday to start preparations for the Bledisloe opener in Sydney.