Two key All Blacks given green light for first Springboks test

The All Blacks team to face the Springboks at Ellis Park on Sunday is becoming clearer.

Key backline members Will Jordan and Cam Roigard have been given the all-clear from coach Dave Rennie, having not featured on tour so far with a back niggle and calf strain respectively.

"Will and Cam have come through a training session, so we are confident they will be fine," Rennie said at the press conference in Johannesburg.

"They're certainly ticking enough boxes."

Captain Ardie Savea also hasn’t had any rugby since beating Ireland at Eden Park a month ago, but Rennie isn’t concerned about the influential trio’s lack of minutes.

“Cam's played a hell of a lot of rugby this year, so him not playing so much lately is not a bad thing,” Rennie said.

“Will came into that French Test on the back of being out for a long time, so yeah, we're confident those boys will slot straight in.”

What isn’t so clear is the fitness of Damian McKenzie, who rolled his ankle early in the win over the Sharks before being subbed off just before halftime.

“We're hopeful with him. He had a light run yesterday and is doing a bit more work with the physios this morning,” Rennie explained.

“So he'll play a limited part in the session this afternoon, and we're hoping to get him running by tomorrow. So we'll know a bit more probably in the next 24 hours."

Beauden Barrett looms as the likely replacement at fullback if McKenzie is ruled out.

Halfback Cortez Ratima is awaiting scans on his knee injury suffered against the Bulls and is unlikely to feature in the first test against the Springboks, with Kyle Preston likely to back-up Roigard from the bench.

The reserves is where the main competition for places lies.

The form of Anton Segner, who put in a man of the match display against the Bulls, will be hard to ignore in a highly competitive loose-forward area behind the starters of Tupou Vaa’i, Luke Jacobson, and Savea.

“I think the loose forwards have been impressive. So yeah, there's a lot of places where we think we're establishing really good depth and competition for places." Rennie said.

The backline reserves are also hard to pick with Anton Lienert-Brown, Rieko Ioane, Fehi Fineanganofo, Leroy Carter, Emoni Narawa, and Timoci Tavatavanawai all competing for two places.

Four players have had to leave the tour so far with injuries, prop Ollie Norris the latest casualty, joining Caleb Clarke, George Bell, and Billy Proctor in heading home early.

Tasman halfback Noah Hotham will link up with the squad this week while uncapped Otago and Highlanders prop Saula Ma’u has also been called in.

Predicted All Blacks team:

McKenzie, Jordan, Tupaea, J. Barrett, Moorby, Love, Roigard, Savea, Jacobson, Vaa’i, Holland, Tuipulotu, Lomax, Taylor, De Groot

Reserves: Aumua, Numia, Newell, Lakai, Segner, Preston, Lienert-Brown, Ioane