All Blacks skipper Taylor cautiously recovering from calf strain

Playing time could be restricted for New Zealand stand-in captain Codie Taylor before the first Test against South Africa on August 22, head coach Dave Rennie said in Cape Town on Thursday. 

The 35-year-old is recovering from a calf strain sustained during the first half of a 40-21 Nations Championship victory over Ireland in Auckland last month.

"We are definitely not looking at him (playing) against the Sharks," said the head coach on the eve of the tour opener against the Stormers franchise in Cape Town.

New Zealand play two other franchises -- the Sharks in Durban on Tuesday and the Bulls in Pretoria next Saturday -- before the first of four Tests in the 'Greatest Rivalry' series.

"Codie will potentially be okay for the Bulls. We are not going to rush him, though. Perhaps a small amount of game time against the Bulls to lead him into the Test match," added Rennie.

New Zealand brought four hookers to South Africa for an eight-match tour that concludes with the fourth Test on September 12 in American city Baltimore.

Rennie also selected Samisoni Taukei'aho and Asafo Aumua, the understudies to Taylor during the Nations Championship matches, and George Bell.

However, Bell suffered a calf strain during training in Cape Town and had to return home. He was replaced by Bradley Slater.

The 'Greatest Rivalry' is the first extended tour by New Zealand to South Africa since 1996, when the tourists won a series in the republic for the first time.