Rennie sweats on injuries before All Blacks-Springboks Test opener

All Blacks coach Dave Rennie is managing a growing injury list before Saturday’s first Test against the Springboks at Ellis Park. New Zealand arrive with wins over the Stormers, Sharks and Vodacom Bulls, but prop Ollie Norris is the latest player to leave the tour early.

Norris injured his knee during the victory over the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld and has become the fourth All Black ruled out. Hooker George Bell, centre Billy Proctor and wing Caleb Clarke had already returned to New Zealand after injuries.

Highlanders prop Saula Ma’u has been brought into the touring group as Norris’s replacement. The squad has also added Crusaders scrumhalf Noah Hotham while Cortez Ratima undergoes further checks on a knee problem. Ratima’s scan showed damage to the posterior cruciate ligament, with his availability expected to become clearer over the following 48 hours.

The scrumhalf issue comes with Cam Roigard still recovering from a calf injury. Rennie expects Roigard to be ready for the Test, despite the fact that he has not played during the tour. Will Jordan, who has a back problem, is also yet to feature and is expected to be available. Kyle Preston remains another option if Ratima cannot play, while Hotham could be needed for the following Tuesday’s match against the Lions.

Damian McKenzie has made progress from an ankle injury but has not yet secured a place in the Ellis Park team. The 31-year-old completed a light run and was due to increase his rehabilitation work before taking a limited role in training. The All Blacks hoped to have him running fully by the next day before making a clearer assessment.

Rennie believes Jordan and Roigard can return quickly because they understand the team’s systems. He also sees value in Roigard having had a recent break after a heavy workload, while Jordan had only recently returned from a lengthy absence before playing in the French Test. Rennie described the injuries as part of rugby’s physical demands, noting that most were collision incidents. Bell was hurt during a clarity jog, Proctor while contesting a jackal, and Clarke appeared to suffer his injury in the first half despite continuing to catch high balls and carry into contact.