All Blacks prop to return home with injury; halfback called into squad
Another week, another injury blow on the All Blacks’ tour of South Africa.
Loosehead prop Ollie Norris is the latest player to be ruled out of the tour after sustaining a cartilage injury in his knee.
Norris, who came off the bench in the first two games of the tour, is expected to be out of action for six weeks and will return to New Zealand to recover.
Newstalk ZB rugby editor Elliott Smith reports the All Blacks are planning to add another prop to the squad, however Crusaders and Tasman halfback Noah Hotham is being brought in as immediate injury cover, with fellow halfback Cortez Ratima nursing a knee injury. Hotham is expected to arrive in South Africa on Tuesday local time.
Ratima started Sunday morning’s match against the Bulls and was injured during the contest. That injury is being assessed ahead of this Sunday’s first test against the Springboks at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
Ratima joins an injury ward already hosting Damian McKenzie (ankle), Will Jordan (back) and Cam Roigard (calf). Speaking to Sky Sport after the win over the Bulls, coach Dave Rennie said he expected Jordan and Roigard to be available for the first test and, while McKenzie was a chance, he cast more doubt over his first-choice fullback’s chances.
Neither Jordan nor Roigard have featured in the tour so far.
Norris is the fourth All Black to have to return home from the tour due to injury.
Just days into the tour, hooker George Bell was ruled out after he injured his calf in a training session. He was replaced by Bradley Slater.
Centre Billy Proctor was ruled out after suffering a shoulder injury in the first game against the Stormers, and was replaced in the squad by first five-eighths Richie Mo’unga.
Winger Caleb Clarke also suffered a shoulder injury in the second match against the Sharks on Wednesday morning. The All Blacks did not immediately call in an injury replacement for him.
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.
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