All Blacks loose forwards Ardie Savea and Luke Jacobson are set to miss the two-Test Bledisloe Cup series against Australia next month.
The All Blacks host the Wallabies at Eden Park on October 10 and play them in Sydney a week later as they attempt to retain a trophy they have held since 2003.
Savea, who dislocated a shoulder late in the first half of the All Blacks’ defeat to the Springboks in Soweto, and Jacobson, who suffered an elbow tendon injury in the same match, will not be available, according to media reports.
New Zealand Rugby has been contacted for comment.
Key midfielder Quinn Tupaea, who suffered an MCL knee injury at FNB Stadium, may also be unavailable.
Given the severity of his injury, Savea is likely to miss the rest of the Test year which includes the Nations Championship finale in the United Kingdom in November.
Ethan Blackadder, who scored a try in an excellent performance in the All Blacks’ fourth Test defeat of the series to the Boks in Baltimore at the weekend, is a good chance to wear the No.7 jersey in the first Test against Australia.
Likewise, Peter Lakai, another good performer in the Test and throughout the series, will be favourite to start in Savea’s regular position of No.8.
The selectors have big decisions to make about Tupaea’s potential replacement after centre Anton Lienert-Brown left the field in Baltimore with a leg injury late in the first half.
Lienert-Brown was slightly off the pace during his time on the pitch and was replaced by Rieko Ioane, who may be the selectors’ best option for the No.13 jersey.
Meanwhile, wing Caleb Clarke, who injured a shoulder during the Greatest Rivalry series, will miss the rest of the year after undergoing surgery.
Loose forward Anton Segner (ankle), halfback Cortez Ratima (knee), prop Ollie Norris (knee), and midfielder Billy Proctor (shoulder) also left the South Africa tour early due to injury.
Head coach Dave Rennie has spoken about the value of the tour for the development of his players and unity of the squad but there is little doubt the series took a toll.
The All Blacks won all four matches against South Africa’s club sides and the first Test before losing the next three Tests.
The physicality of their opponents combined with the travel meant the All Blacks were not at their best in the final Test and they will be welcoming some downtime before starting preparations for the next campaign.
In November, the All Blacks play Scotland in Edinburgh, Wales in Cardiff and England in London before a playoff at Twickenham.
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