Assistant coach’s blunt update on Dalton Papali’i’s injury status

All Blacks assistant coach Jason Ryan has revealed Dalton Papali’i is on track for a return to Test rugby after missing last weekend’s 31-27 loss to the Springboks in Johannesburg. The 26-year-old was ruled out of the Test at Emirates Airline Park with a thumb injury.

That was a tough blow for the All Blacks ahead of their clash with the two-time defending Rugby World Cup champions at one of the most intimidating venues in international rugby. Papali’i had started four of the team’s five other Tests earlier in 2024, after all.

While the absence of Papali’i opened the door for former captain Sam Cane to wear the No. 7 jersey for the first time since last year’s Rugby World Cup Final, it’s safe to say the All Blacks would’ve benefited from having their regular openside in the 23.

Assistant coach Scott Hansen said this week that the team “have had positive reports” about the injury status of Papali’i. That news is supremely positive for the All Blacks, and another member of the team’s coaching staff expressed the same point on Monday.

“Yeah, he’s tracking along pretty good,” Ryan told reporters.

“Should be (available for selection).”

Papali’i has played a lot of Test rugby off the bench, with the openside flanker playing second-fiddle to Sam Cane for a number of years. If Papali’i is available, it’ll be interesting to see if he starts ahead of Cane or whether the coaching staff revert to what’s worked in the past.

But if either of those men are named on the bench, that’ll certainly come as a major needed boost as the All Blacks look to match it with the Springboks’ ‘bomb squad’. New Zealand seemed to run out of gas last weekend as the hosts clawed their way back for a comeback win.

The All Blacks led 27-17 late in the Test, but a yellow card to replacement prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi with 13 minutes to play was a turning point. Utility forward Kwagga Smith scored a minute later to give the South Africans hope of a decisive Rugby Championship win.

Then, with about six minutes left to play, replacement halfback Grant Williams sliced through the All Blacks’ defensive line to score. The Johannesburg crowd went berserk as the Springboks took the lead, and they wouldn’t surrender their advantage in the five or so minutes left to play.

That’s given the All Blacks something to think about.

“We haven’t finished, particularly that game, as well as we could have. It was talked about in our review,” Ryan explained.

“We’ve got some younger men starting their Test careers as well so we’re honest around the reality of where we’re at with that part of it but by no means are we sugarcoating it and overlooking it.

“We are acknowledging it and we’ll look to improve it, definitely.

“You’ve got guys coming on that have played a handful of Tests. She’s some atmosphere, especially Ellis Park against the best team in the world,” he added.

“But we’re also pretty confident that we’re making some progress in our game where we need to be as well.

“There’s always something to work on.”