Nine All Blacks will return to home rather than travel to the United States for the final match of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, with a 36-man squad continuing to Baltimore.
Captain Ardie Savea has been ruled out after dislocating his shoulder during New Zealand’s 29-24 third-test defeat to the Springboks in Soweto, while Quinn Tupaea suffered a knee injury and Luke Jacobson damaged an elbow tendon that requires further assessment.
Josh Jacomb, Siale Lauaki, Saula Ma’u, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Cortez Ratima and Bradley Slater will also head home, with Ratima nursing a knee problem. No return-to-play timetable has yet been confirmed for the injured players.
The remaining All Blacks travelled to the US alongside the Springboks on a shared charter flight, with South Africa holding a 2-1 advantage heading into the fourth and final test in Baltimore.
Baltimore test squad
- Asafo Aumua
- Codie Taylor
- Samisoni Taukei’aho
- Ethan De Groot
- Tyrel Lomax
- Fletcher Newell
- Pasilio Tosi
- George Bower
- Xavier Numia
- Jamie Hannah
- Sam Darry
- Josh Lord
- Patrick Tuipulotu
- Fabian Holland
- Tupou Vaa’i
- Simon Parker
- Wallace Sititi
- Peter Lakai
- Ethan Blackadder
- Semisi Ta’eiloa
- Cam Roigard
- Kyle Preston
- Noah Hotham
- Beauden Barrett
- Ruben Love
- Richie Mo’unga
- Jordie Barrett
- Anton Lienert-Brown
- Timoci Tavatavanawai
- Fehi Fineanganofo
- Leroy Carter
- Emoni Narawa
- Rieko Ioane
- Josh Moorby
- Will Jordan
- Damian McKenzie
It will hardly be worth watching with Karl Dickinson holding the whistle.
Still, good news for rugby league as more AB fans get sick of world rugby’s dissolute support for the wealthier and closer SA rugby union.