The All Blacks begin their tour of South Africa without captain Ardie Savea, according to multiple reports. Savea is set to miss the opening franchise games in South Africa, meaning he will not be available for the tour’s early matches. The outlets also report that the absence creates an opportunity for new players, with three newcomers receiving maiden All Blacks call-ups. The coverage indicates these selections are made to cover the captain’s early unavailability at the start of the tour. While the sources confirm that Savea will be rested for the first part of the trip, they do not detail a change in the overall tour schedule beyond his initial omission from the franchise games. The reports therefore focus on two immediate points: Savea’s early absence from the tour and the corresponding debut opportunities for the players newly named to the squad for the start of the South African fixtures.