All Blacks suffer fourth injury blow before Springboks Test

The All Blacks have suffered another injury setback with their first Test against the Springboks drawing closer, as prop Ollie Norris is set to return to New Zealand after sustaining a knee injury.

Norris is the fourth All Blacks player to be affected by injury during the tour. His absence adds to a growing list that already includes hooker George Bell, centre Billy Proctor and winger Caleb Clarke, who are all sidelined.

New Zealand have called up Noah Hotham to replace Norris in the squad. The All Blacks are also keeping a close watch on scrum-half Cortez Ratima after he injured his knee during Saturday’s 50-19 victory over the Bulls.

Norris’s departure means New Zealand must adjust their preparations for the opening Test against South Africa. The prop had been part of the touring group, but his knee problem will now force him to fly home before the fixture.

The injury is the latest disruption for the All Blacks as they build towards one of rugby’s most closely followed contests. Bell, Proctor and Clarke were already unavailable, leaving Norris as the fourth player from the tour to be ruled out.

Hotham has been brought in as the immediate replacement for Norris. His arrival ensures the squad has another player available in the wake of the prop’s injury, while the team’s medical staff continue to assess Ratima’s condition.

Ratima’s injury occurred in the win over the Bulls on Saturday, when New Zealand scored 50 points. The All Blacks are monitoring the scrum-half rather than confirming any further change to the squad.

The contrasting positions of Norris and Ratima underline the uncertainty surrounding New Zealand’s preparations. Norris will leave the tour and return home, while a decision on Ratima will depend on how his knee injury develops.

The All Blacks therefore move closer to the first Springboks Test with four confirmed injury absences and another player under observation. Bell, Proctor and Clarke remain on the sidelines alongside Norris, while Hotham has joined the squad and Ratima is being monitored.

No further details about the severity of Norris’s knee injury or the likely timescale for Ratima’s return have been provided. For now, the confirmed change is that Hotham replaces Norris, with the All Blacks continuing their preparations for the Tests against the Springboks.