The New Zealand international doesn’t know when he will return to rugby with his season over already
Williams is under close medical supervision in hospital(Image: Instagram: @tamaiti_williams)
New Zealand prop Tamaiti Williams has announced that his season is over after being hospitalised with a serious infection in his spine.
The Crusaders star will miss the rest of his side’s Super Rugby Pacific campaign – which only started last month and runs until the end of May – with his return to rugby beyond that remaining unclear and his participation in the All Blacks’ first Nations Championship fixtures against France, Italy and Ireland this summer thrown into doubt.
The devastating setback comes after Williams was diagnosed with discitis – an infection in one of the discs in his spine – after struggling with a sore back in recent weeks.
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Having undergone scans and a blood test, the 25-year-old remains under close supervision in hospital as he undergoes treatment and waits for his condition to become stable enough for him to return home.
While his return to rugby will be guided by medical advice, Williams admitted that he will be on medication for “a pretty long time” as he issued a statement from his hospital bed.
“I’ve had a sore back for a couple of weeks and had to come in for some scans and blood tests,” the 27-cap star told Crusaders fans.
“They found an infection in my back called discitis, which means I’m going to be on antibiotics for a pretty long time. Unfortunately, my Crusade for 2026 is over.
“I’m feeling gutted, but I’m also grateful that the news isn’t as bad as what it could be,” he added.
“Being in hospital, you see a lot, and it makes you appreciate that this place is here to save us. I’ve been told I’m going to make a 100 percent recovery, so I’m thankful for that.
“Even though my season’s done, I’ve got full faith in the boys that they’re going to get the job done.
“It’s an exciting year for us with the new stadium and a lot of big moments coming up. I’ll be backing the team all the way.”
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