All Blacks short of halfbacks for Springboks clash
- Dave Worsley
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
The All Blacks are struggling for first string halfbacks as they prepare to face the Springboks at Eden Park this Saturday.
Cam Roigard and midfield back Timoci Tavatavanawai have been ruled out of both All Blacks home tests against the Springboks.
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Roigard won't recover in time from a stress fracture in his right foot while Noah Hotham remains out for around three weeks as well.
Cortez Ratima is continuing to be assessed for availability after sustaining a rib fracture during the loss to the Pumas in Buenos Aires.
It leaves Finlay Christie and Kyle Preston - who joined the squad in Argentina as injury cover - as potentially the only two available halfbacks.
The All Blacks' selectors have also added uncapped Chiefs halfback Xavier Roe as injury cover this week, along with Blues lock Sam Darry.
Tavatavanawai will miss the remainder of the Rugby Championship - and most probably the rest of the year - after fracturing a bone in his forearm while playing an NPC match for Tasman against Otago on Saturday.
The injury has been given a 12-week rehabilitation window, meaning the 27-year-old Highlander almost certainly won't get a chance this year to add to his two maiden test appearances against France in July.
Leicester Fainga’anuku has been called into cover wing or centre. He last played for the All Blacks in the World Cup quarterfinal against Ireland in Paris in 2023. It was his seventh test cap.
He has been playing for Tasman in the National Provincial Championship, having returned to New Zealand after 18 months with French club Toulon.
All Blacks management also updated the status of several other All Blacks.
Lock Patrick Tuipulotu has had surgery for a facial fracture but his return is still about a month away, resulting in the recall of Darry, who earned six caps in his maiden campaign last year.
Blues wing Caleb Clarke (ankle) and Chiefs flanker Luke Jacobson (thigh) have both been ruled out of this week's test in Auckland, but have been deemed available for the second Springboks clash in Wellington a week later.
Five of the players called to Argentina as injury cover have remained with the squad - Preston, Christie, Tevita Mafileo, Josh Lord, and Leroy Carter.
The only injury cover not retained is George Bower, following a return to fitness of prop Tamaiti Williams.
In some rare good news for the All Blacks, top season performers - midfield back Anton Lienert-Brown (concussion) and prop Tyrel Lomax (hand fracture) - have recovered and rejoined the squad in Auckland.
