All Blacks lose Messam, Whitelock

The All Blacks were counting the cost of their 28-9 Rugby Championship victory over Argentina as Sam Whitelock and Liam Messam were ruled out of Saturday's crunch Test against South Africa.


The medical report was not the news coach Steve Hansen wanted to hear as he began plotting how his defending champions could beat their closest rivals by attempting to run them into submission.

Hansen talked of playing "positive rugby" despite facing depleted ranks at lock and blindside flanker with Whitelock and Messam possibly out for four weeks.

The All Blacks top the standings halfway through thi…

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