Auckland lock Patrick Tuipulotu may be rushed back into the All Blacks side sooner than planned after a rib injury to Sam Whitelock against Argentina.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen says the full extent of Whitelock’s injury and whether he will be able face South Africa in Wellington next week won’t be known until Monday.

Whitelock appeared to injure himself after landing heavily at a lineout.

Jeremy Thrush replaced Whitelock 30 minutes into the 28-9 defeat of the Pumas and did his chances of earning a first Test start no harm with an impressive display.

Thrush was initially not included in the squad for the Rugby Championship but injuries to Tuipulotu and Dominic Bird led to his recall.

Coach Steve Hansen said Tuipulotu was a chance to be fit for the match at Westpac Stadium but management had wanted he and Bird to ease their way back into action via provincial rugby.

“(He) hasn’t played for some time, so we would have to make some decisions about whether we would play him,” Hansen said.

Loose forward Liam Messam also limped off, with a quadriceps injury, and it will be a couple of days before it will be known if he can face the Springboks.

Hansen ruled out Jerome Kaino from an earlier return from his elbow injury suffered in the first Bledisloe Cup match.

It means Sam Cane, who replaced Messam in Napier, may be considered in a loose trio for the match alongside Richie McCaw and Kieran Read.

Meanwhile Aaron Cruden, who missed the Pumas match with as chest injury, is set to battle with Beauden Barrett for the No.10 jersey in Wellington.