Another All Blacks player’s tour of South Africa is over, opening the door to the possibility of a recall for first five Richie Mo’unga.

Midfielder Billy Proctor, who left the field early in the second half of the team’s 38-21 win over the Stormers in Cape Town at the weekend, has become the second player to have his tour cut short, following hooker George Bell being ruled out with a calf injury.

Coach Dave Rennie’s confirmed the news also isn’t great for Proctor.

“Yeah Billy, unfortunately, will be going home on Thursday. He’s got a fractured shoulder blade, a big vertical fracture through that. It’s a sort of 10 to 12 week type [of injury],” he said.

“It won’t require surgery, but that’s the sort of time frame. So, yeah, devastated for him. He’ll head home on the same plane as George Bell,” said Rennie.

A replacement is yet to be named named for Proctor, with Rennie only saying today, that they’re working through the process.

Rennie is flush with other experienced midfielders already in the squad, including Quinn Tupaea, Jordie Barrett and Anton Lienert-Brown, while Rieko Ioane and Timoci Tavatavanawai are other options.

Experienced Crusaders campaigner David Havili, who’s played 30 tests for the All Blacks, could be an option, but with Havili heading to Japan shortly, Rennie may head down another path and choose to replace Proctor with a player in a different position.

Asked specfically by reporters whether Mo’unga could be that option, Rennie chuckled before answering: “Yeah, well, we’ll work through that process,”

Mo’unga has played 56 tests for the All Blacks, the last being the 2023 World Cup final against South Africa.

Since then, he’s played in Japan, only returning to New Zealand this year, where he must fulfill New Zealand Rugby regulations in playing a full NPC season before being able to be an All Black again.

Mo’unga has so far featured in both of the NPC games Canterbury has played, including Sunday’s Ranfurly Shield victory over Otago. But whether Rennie needs a fifth first-five on the tour remains to be seen.

The All Blacks coach already has Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie, the uncapped Josh Jacomb and Ruben Love in his squad, with Love picked to start in the next tour match, which is against the Sharks on Wednesday morning (NZT).