All Blacks captain Kieran Read will miss the national rugby team's visit to Argentina for next weekend's Rugby Championship clash in Buenos Aires.
The New Zealand side was due to leave Auckland for South America on Friday night, but the rangy number eight was not among those players.
"The original plan was always to make sure we didn't have him sitting in a plane too long," said coach Steve Hansen.
- Kieran Read determined to win Rugby Championship title against Springboks
- Unwanted Vaea Fifita confused over All Blacks non-selection
- Vaea Fifita guides Wellington to big win over Counties Manukau
"When you go to Argentina and then South Africa, with a short turnaround... the smart play is to leave him at home and send him straight to Africa.
"Everyone else that's available is coming, so it was a pretty easy choice after that."
Read, 32, underwent back surgery over the summer and delayed his entry into Super Rugby until July. His absence from this trip is part of an ongoing management plan to preserve him through to next year's Rugby World Cup.
Wellington and Hurricanes utility Vaea Fifita will replace Read in the squad, after starring in the opening weeks of the Mitre 10 Cup competition.
"He's always been on our mind and we gave him the task of playing some Mitre 10 Cup," said Hansen. "He's done that and with Reado not coming, he's the obvious man.
'He's been playing well and [Wellington coach Chris Gibbs] has been doing a good job with him, getting him to play like a 'six' at the breakdown.
"Vaea's taken that on and defensively, he's been good too, so we'll see how he goes."
Luke Whitelock filled the number eight spot during Read's absence against France in June, with brother Sam Whitelock captaining the team.
But Hansen also faces the challenge of replacing blindside Liam Squire, who will miss the rest of the Rugby Championship with a shoulder injury.
That responsibility could fall to any of several candidates, including Fifita, Shannon Frizell, Jackson Hemopo, Scott Barrett or Ardie Savea.
"They're all good players and will have to play at some stage, so there's not point losing any sleep over it," said Hansen, who hinted Frizell was most likely to step up, after starring against the Pumas two weeks ago.
"You just have to trust them and make sure they're comfortable in the environment, comfortable in their role and really clear about what they have to do."
Also missing the trip are Dane Coles, Joe Moody and Brodie Retallick, who are recovering from injury, while Ngani Laumape is also injured, but drops out to make way for the return of Sonny Bill Williams.
The full squad for Argentina and South Africa is:
Backs: TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie, Richie Mo'unga, Ryan Crotty, Jack Goodhue, Anton Leinert-Brown, Sonny-Bill Williams, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Waisake Naholo, Ben Smith.
Forwards: Liam Coltman, Nathan Harris, Codie Taylor, Owen Franks, Tim Perry, Angus Ta'avao, Karl Tu'inukuafe, Ofisa Tuungafasi, Scott Barett, Patrick Tuipulotu, Sam Whitelock, Sam Cane, Vaea Fifita, Shannon Frizell, Jackson Hemopo, Kieran Read, Ardie Savea, Luke Whitelock.
Newshub.
