WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Scrumhalf Noah Hotham will join the All Blacks in South Africa ahead of Saturday’s first test as cover for injured halves Cortez Ratima and Cam Roigard.
Ratima suffered a knee injury during New Zealand’s most-recent match against the Bulls in Pretoria while Roigard has yet to play on tour because of a calf injury.
Hotham was a contentious omission from the All Blacks’ original 44-man touring squad as the selectors opted instead for his Crusaders understudy Kyle Preston.
Prop Ollie Norris also has been ruled out of the tour with a knee cartilage injury. Norris will return to New Zealand, and a prop replacement is set to be named in due course.
The South Africa tour has exacted a heavy injury toll before the first of four test matches between the world champion Springboks and second-ranked All Blacks.
New Zealand already has lost hooker George Bell with a calf injury, center Billy Proctor with a broken shoulder blade and winger Caleb Clarke with a shoulder tendon injury. All three have returned home.
At the same time, Roigard and Ratima remain on tour while carrying injuries along with flyhalf Damian McKenzie, who has an ankle injury, and winger Will Jordan who has yet to play because of a back injury.
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