Dave Rennie Confirms Ardie Savea Shoulder Injury, Quinn Tupaea Faces MCL Scare

• All Blacks captain Ardie Savea left the field in the 30th minute during New Zealand's 29-24 loss to the Springboks in Soweto
• Head coach Dave Rennie confirmed Savea will not travel to Baltimore for the fourth and final Test of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry
• Quinn Tupaea was also forced off with a suspected MCL knee injury, with his availability for the USA Test still uncertain

All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has given a concerning injury update on two of his key players following New Zealand's 29-24 defeat to the Springboks at Ellis Park Stadium in Soweto on 5 September 2026.

Captain Ardie Savea was one of the casualties, departing the field in the 30th minute after sustaining a shoulder injury from a Jasper Wiese cleanout. Rennie confirmed post-match, speaking to Sky Sport and assembled reporters in Johannesburg, that the number eight would not be part of the squad travelling to Baltimore for the fourth and final Test of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry.

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Dave Rennie confirms Ardie Savea's injury

"Yes, shoulder injury. Not sure if it's dislocated, but he certainly won't be travelling to the States," Rennie said in his post-match press conference.

Despite his abbreviated appearance, Savea made an impact before leaving the field, scoring two tries by capitalising on Springbok errors. Rennie acknowledged the loss of his captain but noted that replacement Wallace Sititi performed competently after coming on.

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Quinn Tupaea's knee injury a concern

Chiefs midfielder Quinn Tupaea is the second player whose fitness is now in question. He suffered a knee injury after it became awkwardly caught in a Springbok tackle early in the second half, eventually being replaced by Anton Lienert-Brown.

Tupaea initially attempted to continue before the All Blacks medical staff decided to withdraw him from the field. Rennie indicated the early report from his team suggested a medial collateral ligament problem, though the full extent of the damage remained unclear at the time of his post-match comments.

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The All Blacks' injury setbacks arrive at a critical point in the series, with the squad now preparing to fly to Baltimore for the fourth Test against South Africa.

Dave Rennie Gives Surprising Verdict on Springboks-All Blacks Gap

Briefly News previously reported that Dave Rennie believes the Springboks and All Blacks remain much closer than their recent results might suggest after New Zealand suffered a second defeat in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.

South Africa won 29-24 at FNB Stadium on Saturday, 5 September 2026, to take a 2-1 lead. The All Blacks led 17-12 early in the second half but could not hold on to their advantage.

Source: Briefly News