PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — New Zealand is sweating on the fitness of fullback Damian McKenzie for the start of the test series against South Africa next week.
Other injured backs Cam Roigard and Will Jordan were expected to be available, All Blacks coach Dave Rennie said on Saturday after beating the Bulls 50-19 at Loftus Versfeld in the last tune-up.
McKenzie twisted his ankle on Tuesday against the Sharks. Scrumhalf Roigard (calf) and winger Jordan (back) had yet to appear on tour along with captain Ardie Savea, who has been rested until the tests and arrived in the republic on Thursday.
“We're pretty confident (Roigard and Jordan are) going to be right by next week,” Rennie said. "Both of them we want to have a full week of training. They're ticking enough boxes.
“Damian we're less confident about but still think he's a good chance to play in the weekend. Hopefully he can train well on Tuesday. The expectation is all three of those guys will be available.”
If fit, all three are starters against the Springboks at Ellis Park next Saturday.
Injury replacement Richie Mo'unga arrived late Friday and will not be picked for the first test, Rennie said. The flyhalf's first match for the All Blacks since the 2023 Rugby World Cup will be against the Lions province three days after the opening test.
Rennie name-checked loose forwards Peter Lakai and Anton Segner and winger Josh Moorby after the win over the Bulls. Moorby started the last test against Ireland last month and his chances of retaining the No. 11 jersey improved after the tour-ending shoulder injury to Caleb Clarke.
"We've got a plan around selection and there were a handful of positions that were going to be decided on tonight's performance,” Rennie said.
"We've not had a game at altitude and we worked really hard in those circumstances and we'll be better for it.
“We know the quality we come up against next week is three, four, five fold. We've played reasonably well on tour and we know we need to up the ante.”
Hooker Codie Taylor, tour captain in the absence of Savea, also praised their improving set-piece, especially the scrum which has been roughed up by the Boks in recent matchups.
“From where we started with the Stormers and built our way through these club games I feel like we've made some great strides as a forward pack,” Taylor said. “By no means are we the finished product ... and it will be even tougher next week. But we can be really happy and confident with the steps we're taking.”
See AP’s full rugby coverage here
New Zealand's Codie Taylor, right, scores a try during a rugby match between Bulls and New Zealand, in Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
New Zealand's head coach Dave Rennie watches players warming up for a rugby match between Bulls and New Zealand, in Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Five people were wounded in a shooting involving multiple suspects at Virginia State University early Saturday, prompting a campus lockdown and police investigation just as students got ready for a new school year.
It happened near the university's Quad Annexes, where campus police and Chesterfield County officers discovered five people suffering from gunshot wounds outside campus dormitories. At least one of the wounded people was later confirmed to be a student, the university said in a statement.
The shooting was still under investigation later Saturday and happened as Virginia State's academic year begins. According to the university’s website, residence halls opened for students a week ago, and classes resume on Monday. Many students had just completed the university’s “New Trojans Experience” for incoming students.
Police and university officials have not identified any of the victims. The five were taken to hospitals, and one initially listed as having life-threatening injuries has been upgraded to critical condition, county police said.
The others sustained non-life-threatening injuries, police said. The person confirmed to be a student was among those whose injuries were not life-threatening, and the student has been released from a hospital, the university said.
The university said in a statement early Saturday that the shooting involves “multiple suspects.” It said in a statement later in the day that law enforcement did not believe there was an immediate threat to the campus community, and a campus lockdown had been lifted.
“We recognize the concern this incident has caused among our students, parents, alumni, friends, and the broader VSU community,” the university statement said. “The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority.”
The campus had a large law enforcement presence on Saturday morning, and the university informed students that they should monitor their email for additional safety measures and information about support services. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hanover County Sheriff's Office were assisting, county police said.
Virginia State University is a historically Black university located in Ettrick, Virginia, about 24 miles south of the state capital of Richmond. The public university has about 5,700 students and was the first fully state-supported four-year college for Black Americans. Most of its students are undergraduates.
The university has grown in recent years while attempting to improve safety and retain its historic charm, said Arthur Fridrich, the university's former director of distance education, who lives near the campus and visits regularly. A shooting like this just as students return for classes is heartbreaking for the community, he said.
“To start a new year with this event is very tragic. It casts a shadow in the minds of all students, and for some it will be difficult to rid their minds of this term,” Fridrich said. “For those that were shot, my heart bleeds. I hope that they all mend and somehow do not let this event define their lives.”
Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, said via social media that she and her husband were “praying for a quick recovery for those who were shot this morning at Virginia State University, and our thoughts are with the VSU community.” She also thanked first responders and law enforcement.
Sen. Mark Warner, also a Democrat, said it was “devastating to see another Virginia campus harmed by gun violence.”
Police investigate the scene of a shooting on the campus of Virginia State University on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026 in Petersburg, Va. (WWBT via AP)
