Injured New Zealand vice captain Tim Brown's hopes of playing at the World Cup finals have been boosted after the surgeon who operated on his injured shoulder described the procedure as a success.

The 29-year-old suffered a fractured right shoulder during the All White's 2-1 friendly defeat to Australia in Melbourne on Monday. Brown did not join the rest of the squad as they embarked on a 40-hour trip to their pre-World Cup training base in Austria, instead flying to Auckland to undergo surgery and try to keep his World Cup dream alive.

Surgeon Stu Walsh said: "It is still too early to comment on his chances of being available for the World Cup at this stage."