Richie McCaw and Cory Jane are both expected to be right for the All Blacks end-of-year tour.
McCaw (32) was scratched from the Bledisloe Cup test at Forsyth Barr Stadium tonight because of a tight calf, while Jane has a grade one hamstring tear.
All Black coach Steve Hansen said if the All Blacks were pushed, they could have played McCaw but decided to be cautious and not risk him.
Jane (30) did the damage to his hamstring late at training on Thursday and there was some hope he would be right by yesterday morning.
But the grade one hamstring tear had not improved overnight and he was withdrawn early yesterday by team management.
Jane has just come back into the squad after badly injuring his knee in February and had not started playing again until earlier this month.
Hansen said Jane would naturally be disappointed but the injury simply meant he could not play.
He is replaced on the right wing by Charles Piutau, who will make his first start in the All Black jersey.
Hansen said Jane may miss the test against Japan on November 2 in Tokyo but should be right for the rest of the northern tour.
McCaw, who is replaced by Sam Cane for tonight's test, with the captaincy going to Kieran Read, is just back from a knee injury which forced him out of the match against Argentina in La Plata on September 29.