All Blacks regroup ahead of crucial Eden Park Test against Boks

The All Blacks assembled in Auckland with a thinner squad than they would like, ahead of a Rugby Championship Test against South Africa at Eden Park.

Wing Timoci Tavatavanawai was ruled out for the rest of the tournament after fracturing his radius playing for Tasman in the NPC, an injury requiring surgery and an expected twelve-week recovery. Patrick Tuipulotu (facial fracture), Cam Roigard (foot fracture) and Noah Hotham (high ankle sprain) were also unavailable, with each expected to miss up to another month.

There was better news elsewhere. Anton Lienert-Brown had cleared concussion protocols and Tyrel Lomax recovered from a hand injury, both returning to the squad, while Cortez Ratima remained under assessment after a rib problem picked up against Argentina.

The absences sharpen the selection question in the halves and midfield in a week where the margin for error is minimal. Eden Park remains the fixture that defines a New Zealand season, and depth is about to be tested in public.