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Rennie confident Jordan, Roigard will be fit to face Springboks / Photo: © AFP
Rennie confident Jordan, Roigard will be fit to face Springboks
New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie is confident wing Will Jordan and scrum-half Cam Roigard can be considered for the first Test against South Africa in Johannesburg next Saturday.
Neither All Black has played in victories over the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls so far in the tour due to injuries.
"Will and Cam have come through a training session, so we are confident they will be fine. We just want them to have a full week of training," Rennie said in Pretoria on Saturday.
He was speaking after New Zealand completed a hat-trick of victories over South African franchises since the tour began by defeating the Bulls 50-19.
It was the second successive big win for the tourists after dishing out a 54-0 drubbing to the Sharks in Durban on Tuesday.
Rennie said there was a slight concern about Damian McKenzie, who can operate at full-back and fly-half.
"We are less confident about Damian, but there is still a good chance he will be available. We are expecting all three of them to be available," he said.
Another All Black not involved so far in the first extended tour by New Zealand to South Africa since 1996 is captain and No. 8 Ardie Savea.
He is resting after a hectic playing schedule, but is expected to lead the All Blacks in the first Test at Ellis Park.
Rennie also commented on utility back Richie Mo'unga, a replacement for injured centre Billy Proctor, who was forced to return home.
"Richie arrived late last night (Friday). He is very excited and jumping out of his skin. He has already done a fair amount of study to understand our game," said the head coach.
"We won't pick him for the first Test, but we will give him some game time against the Lions on the following Tuesday."
Reflecting on the eight-try victory over the Bulls, Rennie said: "This was certainly not our Test side this evening, there will be a number of changes.
"We have played reasonably well on tour, and to put 50 points on a very good Bulls side is a positive.
"They were a team that was prepared to play and they really took it to us, but we know we need to up the ante next weekend.
"The Springboks will come much harder at us and we know we will be up against three, four, five times the quality."
L. Brown--BTZ
