New Zealand center Conrad Smith will miss the opening rounds of the inaugural four-nation Rugby Championship after surgery to repair a detached retina.

The 30-year-old Smith, a veteran of 58 tests, is likely to be sidelined for six weeks after undergoing two procedures to fix the injury which occurred while playing for the Wellington Hurricanes in the Super 15 series.

He will miss New Zealand’s opening match in the Rugby Championship against Australia in Sydney on August 18 and the return match in Auckland a week later. The new southern hemisphere rugby tournament also involves South Africa and Argentina.

Hurricanes doctor Ian Murphy said surgery went well and “at this stage he is expected to be out of training for six weeks.”