Cavalry on way to bolster depleted All Blacks

Greg Somerville is assisted from the field after injuring his achillies tendon. Ross Land / Getty Images

PRETORIA - Four casualties and two replacements on their way to South Africa was the messy flipside of victory yesterday for the All Black touring squad in Pretoria.

John Afoa and Marty Holah find themselves South Africa-bound today.

Tighthead prop Greg Somerville was the most seriously injured and faces at least six months' recovery after snapping his right Achilles tendon when he lost traction in a scrum.

Blindside flanker Reuben Thorne broke his thumb and will miss about six weeks' play, Leon MacDonald damaged his hip and needs three weeks' recuperation as will Chris Masoe who tore ankle ligaments.

All four were flying home today while Afoa and Holah will pass them going the other way over the Indian Ocean to link with the All Blacks for their next test in Rustenburg.

Lock Ali Williams has escaped a penalty after being cited for throwing a punch at Springboks lock Johann Muller. Williams was cleared at a Sanzar judicial hearing in Pretoria yesterday and is free to play if selected in next Sunday's test.

Once all medical problems are clarified the All Black selectors will turn their attention to picking the side.

Aaron Mauger has resumed training and is expected to resume his normal second five-eighths role, but there is no guarantee Carl Hayman will return at tighthead prop.

"That is still questionable and we certainly won't play him unless he is right," coach Graham Henry said.

The prop was still not feeling sharp last week after being concussed in the final Bledisloe Cup match at Eden Park and, with Somerville hurt, the selectors plumped for Afoa ahead of Campbell Johnstone as backup.

MacDonald's exit creates an intriguing decision. Does Mils Muliaina push back to fullback where he was outstanding at Pretoria, and offer another chance at centre for the shaky Isaia Toeava?

Or will Muliaina play centre and the versatile Luke McAlister be given a shot at fullback where his range of kicking and running skills suggest he would cope easily with that position?

The side chosen for Rustenburg, a town about two hours' drive west of Pretoria, will have the advantage of being fully acclimatised to the rarified air on the high veld.

At times yesterday, Henry felt his side was "walking in porridge" at Loftus Versfeld Stadium as they offered up some initial stodge. They took time to adjust to the altitude before igniting their flowing play which was too lethal for the Springboks.

Captain Richie McCaw agreed that slow starts had been a familiar pattern this season for the All Blacks but there had not been any panic. Those experiences would all be useful in a tough campaign like the next World Cup.

The year since the All Blacks' last loss in Cape Town had played on the mind a bit, Henry conceded, and a strong second half helped blow away that burden.

By forward coach Steve Hansen's count, the All Blacks had won 14 of their 19 lineouts and that was a decent result against the best defensive lineout in the world.

Five Anton Oliver throws were not claimed in the first half, which contributed to the stuttering start. Whether it was the delivery, pressure on Greg Rawlinson, Williams and Thorne or the wrong calls will provoke further internal scrutiny.

Henry skirted enquiries about how much reliance the All Blacks placed on McCaw and Daniel Carter. They were world-class but not indispensable and there had been times when their understudies had been called on.

Springbok coach Jake White must hope that is the case this weekend as he and his side are being pounded for their perceived defects.

"I just wish they would give the seven and 10 jerseys to someone else," White said earlier as he lamented his struggles in both areas with a huge injury toll.

He could not understand why his side went from being "on the boil" in the early stages of the test to giving the All Blacks so much room.

"You can't praise them enough," White said generously about his opponents, though it was also a handy tactic to deflect inspection of his side's uninspired effort.

The Springboks leaked five tries, yielded far too much space to the All Blacks and were unable to pressure them on the kick and chase.

Smit, who admitted he got more frustrated through the game, was amazed at the amount of speed the All Blacks were able to generate when they counter-attacked.