All Blacks loose forward Anton Segner has been ruled out of the remainder of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour after undergoing minor surgery on an ankle infection.
The 25-year-old will return to New Zealand to continue his recovery, bringing his involvement in the tour to a premature end.
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Segner had initially been named on the bench for the All Blacks’ 33-16 victory over the Springboks at Ellis Park, but was withdrawn shortly before kick-off after developing a swollen ankle.
The problem was initially assessed as acute inflammatory arthritis, before further examinations resulted in Segner undergoing keyhole surgery to wash out an infection in the joint.
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie confirmed the forward would play no further part in the tour.
“He had a little bit of keyhole surgery, just the washout and infection,” Rennie said.
Segner will travel with the squad to Cape Town before returning home to continue his recovery.
Despite losing another member of his touring squad, Rennie confirmed the All Blacks will not call up an injury replacement, with the head coach satisfied with his loose-forward options for the remaining Tests.
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Dave Rennie’s side have also completed a clean sweep of South Africa’s club teams, but the second of four Tests presents another huge challenge. Here is our predicted All Blacks squad.
Predicted All Blacks XV:
15 Damian McKenzie
Having established himself as the clear first-choice fullback, McKenzie should retain his place after another solid showing in the opening Test.
There was nothing in his performance at Ellis Park to suggest that a change is needed, and continuity at the back makes sense heading into the next match.
14 Will Jordan
Few players in world rugby carry the same consistent try-scoring threat as Jordan. An early score against the Springboks was another reminder of his finishing ability, and he remains a crucial part of the All Blacks backline.
Even when opportunities are limited, Jordan has the ability to turn a single chance into points, making him difficult to leave out.
13 Quinn Tupaea
Although Rieko Ioane impressed during the midweek victory over the Lions, Tupaea delivered when it mattered most in the first Test. His form is difficult to ignore, particularly after being named Super Rugby Player of the Year last season.
The centre looks in outstanding touch at present and showed against the Springboks why he has become such an important figure in the All Blacks midfield.
12 Jordie Barrett
Barrett is virtually certain to feature, particularly given the influence of his combination with Ruben Love. Their playmaking ability remains one of the All Blacks’ most dangerous attacking weapons.
Named Player of the Match in Saturday’s victory, the midfielder also made a significant contribution defensively and underlined his importance on both sides of the ball.
11 Emoni Narawa
Josh Moorby did enough in the first Test to put himself in contention for another appearance, but Narawa’s performance against the Lions may have given him the edge.
He was a constant attacking threat, while his partnership with fellow wing Fehi Fineanganofo repeatedly asked questions of the South African defence. Every time Narawa found space, he looked capable of making something happen.
10 Ruben Love
Dave Rennie has shown considerable faith in Love, and the fly-half has so far rewarded that confidence.
One of the most impressive players in his position in world rugby at the moment, he has made the No.10 shirt increasingly difficult to take away from him.
His place in the starting XV now looks secure after another encouraging start to the series.
9 Cam Roigard
Roigard is another player who appears firmly established as first choice. The scrum-half is among the leading players in the world in his position, and it would take a major shift in form to dislodge him from the starting side.
