WELLINGTON: New Zealand will be without its two frontline seam bowlers in the third cricket test against South Africa from Saturday after Trent Boult and Tim Southee were ruled out with leg injuries.

Southee was forced out of the match on Thursday with a hamstring strain suffered in the second test at Wellington, while Boult, who missed that match with groin and hip injuries, has not sufficiently recovered.

Their withdrawal leaves South African-born Neil Wagner and Matt Henry as the only fit seamers in the squad. Uncapped paceman Scott Kuggeleijn, son of former test spinner Chris Kuggeleijn, has been added as cover.

Boult "did everything possible to get himself ready for this test and is extremely disappointed to be missing out," selector Gavin Larsen said.

"Scott (Kuggeleijn) will come in as cover, having consistently finished as one of the top wicket-takers in the Plunket Shield in recent seasons."

Kuggeleijn, who plays for Northern Districts, was last month acquitted by a court in Hamilton on a rape charge.

New Zealand will name its lineup for the match at Hamilton's Seddon Park shortly before the toss on Saturday.

Seddon Park hosted two of the five one-day internationals between New Zealand and South Africa this month, and the pitches for those matches provided extreme turn. That prompted the Proteas to rush offspinner Dane Piedt from South Africa to bolster its squad, and both sides have likely considered playing two spinners.

But when the test pitch was uncovered on Wednesday it was well-grassed and seemed less likely to favor spinners early on. Pitches at Seddon Park tend to become slower as matches progress.

Meanwhile, South Africa is still assessing the fitness of wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock who has a finger injury. Uncapped Heinrich Klaasen is on standby if de Kock is ruled unfit.

South Africa leads the three-match series 1-0 after winning the second test at Wellington.