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Cape Town - Disgraced All Blacks scrumhalf Aaron Smith has issued a tearful apology after being sent home from SA for "breaching team standards".
The New Zealand coach, Steve Hansen, confirmed at a press conference on Wednesday that the star No 9 was on a plane back home and will miss Saturday's Test at Kings Park in Durban having accepted that his behaviour was “not of All Blacks standard”.
Smith was sent home after “breaching team standards regarding behaviour” after he was seen walking into a disabled toilet cubicle with a “female friend” at Christchurch Airport the day after the All Blacks had beaten the Boks 41-13 on September 17.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has criticised Smith's behaviour, saying Smith “clearly let himself and those that are close to him down".
Smith will face a misconduct hearing on his return to New Zealand.
Smith's loss is TJ Perenara's gain with the Hurricanes No 9 named to start against the Boks in Durban.
Kick-off is at 17:05.
Teams:
South Africa
TBA
New Zealand
15 Ben Smith, 14 Israel Dagg, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Waisake Naholo, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Kieran Read (captain), 7 Matt Todd, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Joe Moody
Substitutes: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Liam Squire, 20 Ardie Savea, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Lima Sopoaga, 23 George Moala
