Scott Robertson’s All Blacks win over the Springboks has come at a cost, with two injured players set to miss next Saturday’s Rugby Championship rematch in Wellington.
New Zealand were 24-17 winners over South Africa in an Eden Park classic, but they will definitely be without hooker Codie Taylor next weekend and the availability of try-scoring winger Emoni Narawa is rated as “highly unlikely”.
First-choice No.2 Taylor has been ruled out with a concussion after he played just 32 minutes of the Round Three match, while Narawa hurt his ribs when competing for a high ball in the seventh minute, not long after he had opened the scoring with a second-minute try.
Assistant coach Jason Ryan addressed reporters on Sunday in Auckland before the All Blacks travelled south, explaining that a replacement would be called up for the stricken Taylor, who was replaced in the match by Samisoni Taukei’aho and is now in line to start in Round Four.
“Brutally honest…”
“Codie will go through the protocols with a 12-day stand down, so he won’t be available, while Emoni is highly unlikely due to his ribs,” explained Ryan.
Potential call-up candidates for Taylor include Asafo Aumua and George Bell, who both featured last year for the All Blacks, and Brodie McAlister, who hasn’t been involved since debuting in July against France.
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Robertson’s squad already has plenty of cover available if the injury to Narawa, who was making only his second Test start in place of Sevu Reece, doesn’t come right in time. Reece, Caleb Clarke, Leicester Fainga’anuku and the uncapped Leroy Carter are all potential alternatives.
With the All Blacks having stretched their unbeaten streak at Eden Park to 51 matches, Ryan looked ahead to the Wellington rematch.
“There was a lot riding on the first one, but we have got to make sure we build that same edge this week,” he said.
“That will start with being brutally honest about a couple of opportunities where we let them back in the game. I liked the intensity we brought from the start. We adapted well to the slippery conditions, but there were parts where we took the pressure off.”
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