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The injury curse has struck again. The All Blacks have lost a second player to injury during their Rugby's Greatest Rivalry tour of South Africa, compounding selection headaches for coach Dave Rennie at the worst possible time.
All Blacks Face Injury Crisis Before Sharks Clash
The news broke on Sunday, just days before New Zealand's next assignment — a clash against the Sharks at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban on Tuesday evening. Rennie has already named a shadow Test squad for that fixture, with Luke Jacobson appointed captain and two uncapped players handed debuts in the matchday squad. A second injury casualty forces further reshuffling of combinations that the All Blacks can ill afford heading into the pointy end of the tour.
Tours to South Africa have always extracted a physical price. The intensity of Test-level rugby in these conditions, combined with the relentless scheduling demand of the Greatest Rivalry format, tests every squad's depth. New Zealand arrived with genuine ambitions on this trip, but managing personnel losses and rebuilding combinations mid-tour is a different kind of examination — one that tests a coaching group as much as the players.
South Africa's Strong Form Going Into Tour
For the Springboks, the context matters. South Africa beat Argentina 17-10 in Buenos Aires on 8 August to retain their own form and momentum, and Rassie Erasmus's side will be watching the All Blacks' injury situation closely without placing too much stock in it. Erasmus knows better than most that New Zealand's depth is formidable — a shadow squad containing two debutants and a new captain is still a dangerous outfit.