Uncapped hooker Nathan Harris is almost certain to make his Test debut during New Zealand’s final two Rugby Championship matches in Argentina and South Africa after being named in Steve Hansen’s squad yesterday.
Coach Hansen named three hookers for the tour, with Bay of Plenty rake Harris joining Dane Coles and veteran Keven Mealamu in the 31-man squad for the matches in La Plata on Sept. 27 and Johannesburg on Oct. 4.
Harris, who has been part of the wider training squad this year, is likely to make his debut off the bench in Johannesburg as Coles is to return to New Zealand following the Argentina Test to attend the birth of his first child.
Injured flyhalf Dan Carter as well as locks Patrick Tuipulotu and Dominic Bird have been released from the squad and are to play provincial rugby to get back to match fitness following injuries.
Lock Sam Whitelock and loose forwards Jerome Kaino and Liam Messam, though, have all recovered from their injuries and will be on the plane to Argentina at the weekend.
Utility back Ryan Crotty has also been named in the squad, but only for the South Africa leg, as he has just made his return for Canterbury in provincial rugby after breaking his cheekbone.
Crotty’s absence from Argentina almost certainly ensures Malakai Fekitoa of a start at inside center alongside the other specialist center in the squad, Conrad Smith, although Ben Smith and Charles Piutau can both play in the midfield if required.
Ben Smith played inside center for the second half of the All Blacks’ 14-10 victory over South Africa in Wellington on Saturday in place of the injured Ma’a Nonu, who has been ruled out for the year after breaking his arm in the game.
Nonu underwent an operation to have a plate inserted in his arm. The 32-year-old was playing his 94th Test when he suffered the injury making a crunching tackle on Springbok captain Jean de Villiers 10 minutes before halftime.
While the loss of Nonu under normal circumstances would be a huge blow to the All Blacks, the impact has been tempered by the imminent return of Sonny Bill Williams after a second stint playing in Australia’s National Rugby League competition. The New Zealand Rugby Union has already bent its own rules to accommodate Williams for their November tour when they play the US, England, Scotland and Wales.
He has been exempted from an eligibility rule that requires players to appear in the domestic inter-provincial competition before playing for the All Blacks.
“Yeah, it probably does,” All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said when asked if Nonu’s break had created an opportunity for Williams to take a more prominent role.
He has previously emphasized he wanted Williams on the end-of-year tour because there were a limited number of matches remaining for the All Blacks before the defense of the World Cup next year.
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