New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor has failed to recover from a calf injury and been ruled out of the third test against South Africa, though frontline pace bowler Trent Boult is looking likely to play, selector Gavin Larsen said on Monday.

Boult (upper leg) and Taylor (calf) were injured in the drawn first test in Dunedin and missed the eight-wicket second test defeat to the Proteas at the Basin Reserve, which ended inside three days on Saturday.

Despite the humiliating defeat, Larsen said the squad would remain unchanged for the final game of the three-match series at Seddon Park in Hamilton, which starts on Saturday.

"We've decided to go with the same unit," Larsen told reporters in Wellington on Monday.

"We've got 100 percent faith in the fact we think we've got the best group of test cricketers in the country and we've got a test match to win in Hamilton."

The Seddon Park wicket is expected to take turn, with left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner likely to replace either of the all-rounders Jimmy Neesham or Colin de Grandhomme in the side.

New Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (captain), Tom Latham, Jeet Raval, Neil Broom, Henry Nicholls, Jimmy Neesham, BJ Watling, Mitchell Santner, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee, Jeetan Patel, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult, Matt Henry.