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The Rugby Championship

All Blacks forced into last minute call-up after brutal injury blow

(L-R) Ethan de Groot, Anton Lienert-Brown, Damian McKenzie, Patrick Tuipulotu, Codie Taylor, Jordie Barrett, Beauden Barrett and Scott Barrett line up to sing the national anthem ahead of the International Test Match between New Zealand All Blacks and England at Eden Park on July 13, 2024 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

The All Blacks suffered another blow ahead of their two Rugby Championship matches against the Springboks in South Africa.

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On Friday, the team revealed that prop Ethan de Groot will play no part in those Tests.

The 26-year-old is currently battling a neck injury and he will continue his rehabilitation in New Zealand.

Crusaders prop George Bower will join the squad as injury cover.

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‘This Energy Never Stops’ – One year to go until the Women’s Rugby World Cup

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    ‘This Energy Never Stops’ – One year to go until the Women’s Rugby World Cup

    With exactly one year to go until Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025 kicks off
    in Sunderland, excitement is sweeping across the host nation in anticipation of what
    will be the biggest and most accessible celebration of women’s rugby ever.

    Register now for the ticket presale

    Earlier this week, calf injuries prevented lock Patrick Tuipulotu and outside back Stephen Perofeta from travelling with the All Black squad to South Africa.

    Meanwhile, on Thursday, All Black head coach Scott Robertson revealed that assistant coach Leon MacDonald left his staff on the eve of their trip to South Africa due to a clash of coaching styles.

    New Zealand will face the Springboks at Ellis Park next weekend on August 31 before they meet again in Cape Town on September 7.

    UPDATED SQUAD:

    Hookers
    Asafo Aumua
    Codie Taylor
    George Bell

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    Props
    George Bower
    Tyrel Lomax
    Fletcher Newell
    Pasilio Tosi
    Ofa Tu’ungafasi
    Tamaiti Williams

    Locks
    Scott Barrett (Captain)
    Sam Darry
    Josh Lord
    Tupou Vaa’i

    Loose Forwards
    Ethan Blackadder
    Sam Cane
    Samipeni Finau
    Luke Jacobson
    Dalton Papali’i
    Ardie Savea (Vice Captain)
    Wallace Sititi

    BACKS

    Halfbacks
    Noah Hotham
    TJ Perenara
    Cortez Ratima

    First five-eighths
    Beauden Barrett
    Damian McKenzie

    Mid-fielders
    Jordie Barrett (Vice Captain)
    David Havili
    Rieko Ioane
    Anton Lienert-Brown
    Billy Proctor

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    Outside backs
    Caleb Clarke
    Will Jordan
    Ruben Love
    Harry Plummer
    Sevu Reece
    Mark Tele’a

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    Comments

    4 Comments
    T
    Toaster 226 days ago

    Good opportunity for Tamaiti assuming he starts

    Does affect the impact off the bench though

    B
    B 226 days ago

    recover well Ethan and if its sooner all good...if not... just concentrate on getting yourself back to fitness plus in time for the AB's EOYT...

    M
    MattJH 227 days ago

    Sux for Ethan, but with how well the other props are playing it’s not a ‘brutal blow’.

    J
    JW 227 days ago

    Unlucky for EDG, these two games the year before last were where he made his mark and claimed the jersery.


    More importantly, I see they still persist with including Beauden as a half int the squad. They even have Harry Plummer listed as an outside back. What must it be like to have to 'click' with Razor, be a bit different?

    d
    dk 226 days ago

    Be good.

    Join free and tell us what you really think!

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    Comments on RugbyPass

    f
    fl 59 minutes ago
    Picking an in-form British & Irish Lions XV 1 month out from squad reveal

    I’m a huge fan of Pollock. The hype is real. Apart from this hype, which is extremely silly.


    He’s a long way off being a Lions test starter.

    1 Go to comments
    A
    Andrea Irvine 1 hour ago
    Ulster go down fighting in Champions Cup defeat to Bordeaux

    I can rewire a human brain, course through the most sensitive neural pathways, and restore life with steady hands and a sharp scalpel. But it would appear none of those prepared me for the horror of a hardware wallet that had decided it wanted to self-destruct. It had been years since my Ledger device had sat comfortably in my drawer, unvexed and pristine, like a relic from my earlier Bitcoin investment days. Then came the fateful evening when I decided to switch it on just to check on my stash. That is when I was greeted by an error message so incomprehensible that it could as well have been written in ancient hieroglyphics. At first, I kept calm. I had been in life-and-death situations before, so surely, I could troubleshoot a problem with my wallet. Rebooting? Nothing. Firmware reset? Even worse. With every attempt, my precious $680,000 worth of Bitcoin seemed to slip further from my grasp. The real panic set in when I realized that I had stored my recovery phrase somewhere "safe"-so safe that even I couldn't remember where it was. Hours of frantic searching, multiple YouTube tutorials, and a last-ditch effort to reach out to Ledger support resulted in one grim conclusion: "Your funds may be irretrievable." As a neurosurgeon, I’m used to bad news—but this? Unacceptable. That is when I discovered TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY. A little skeptical I was- if they couldn't help me, a manufacturer of the device, then how would anyone else? I had nothing to lose. The moment I reached out to them, I knew I had done the right thing: I was professional, transparent, and confident that they could recover my lost Bitcoin. They performed some kind of digital wallet emergency surgery, getting everything back in six days. Through what can only be described as magic, by way of forensic techniques, they bypassed corruption and extracted my private keys and every Satoshi, to boot. If it stopped there, that would've been great; then they walked me through how to properly secure my assets going forward more "too safe to find" backups. I may be the expert in the operating room, but when it comes to resuscitating a dead crypto wallet, TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY is your team on call. Cold storage has failed; don't try to self-operate, just get the pros in before your Bitcoin flatlines. VISIT THEM ONEMAIL: Techcybersforcerecovery@cyberservices.comTELEGRAM: @TECHCYBERFORCWhatsApp: +1 561 726 36 97

    0 Go to comments
    C
    Chiefs Mana 1 hour ago
    'Competitive culture': Tana Umaga on what makes Moana Pasifika succeed

    3 wins, beat the Hurricanes…should’ve also beaten Force in Week 1 - they’re a dangerous side.

    5 Go to comments
    C
    Chiefs Mana 1 hour ago
    'He isn't playing well': Former All Blacks question Scott Barrett's form

    There was a crazy stat in last years Rugby Championship - players being tackled by 3 players at one time, Ardie topped the count with ~3x more than the next player.


    I would be very worried if Razor is using Ardie to do grunt work, what an absolute waste…Breakdown team hit the nail on the head around Ardie floating in the wider channels and how dangerous that could be for the opposition.

    10 Go to comments
    A
    Andrea Irvine 1 hour ago
    Don't get out over your skis on the Highlanders

    I can rewire a human brain, course through the most sensitive neural pathways, and restore life with steady hands and a sharp scalpel. But it would appear none of those prepared me for the horror of a hardware wallet that had decided it wanted to self-destruct. It had been years since my Ledger device had sat comfortably in my drawer, unvexed and pristine, like a relic from my earlier Bitcoin investment days. Then came the fateful evening when I decided to switch it on just to check on my stash. That is when I was greeted by an error message so incomprehensible that it could as well have been written in ancient hieroglyphics. At first, I kept calm. I had been in life-and-death situations before, so surely, I could troubleshoot a problem with my wallet. Rebooting? Nothing. Firmware reset? Even worse. With every attempt, my precious $680,000 worth of Bitcoin seemed to slip further from my grasp. The real panic set in when I realized that I had stored my recovery phrase somewhere "safe"-so safe that even I couldn't remember where it was. Hours of frantic searching, multiple YouTube tutorials, and a last-ditch effort to reach out to Ledger support resulted in one grim conclusion: "Your funds may be irretrievable." As a neurosurgeon, I’m used to bad news—but this? Unacceptable. That is when I discovered TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY. A little skeptical I was- if they couldn't help me, a manufacturer of the device, then how would anyone else? I had nothing to lose. The moment I reached out to them, I knew I had done the right thing: I was professional, transparent, and confident that they could recover my lost Bitcoin. They performed some kind of digital wallet emergency surgery, getting everything back in six days. Through what can only be described as magic, by way of forensic techniques, they bypassed corruption and extracted my private keys and every Satoshi, to boot. If it stopped there, that would've been great; then they walked me through how to properly secure my assets going forward more "too safe to find" backups. I may be the expert in the operating room, but when it comes to resuscitating a dead crypto wallet, TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY is your team on call. Cold storage has failed; don't try to self-operate, just get the pros in before your Bitcoin flatlines. VISIT THEM ONEMAIL: Techcybersforcerecovery@cyberservices.comTELEGRAM: @TECHCYBERFORCWhatsApp: +1 561 726 36 97

    4 Go to comments
    d
    dw 1 hour ago
    Geoff Parling: An Englishman roasting the Lions?

    Thanks Nick. Sounds like he’s enjoying the role. Is he contracted till 27? Sorry if you already wrote that in the article.


    Swain and Williams are looking good but Frost and Skelton does appeal. From what Parling says Skelton might be brought home fle the Lions.

    4 Go to comments
    m
    macalliy 2 hours ago
    Don't get out over your skis on the Highlanders

    Online trading can be risky, even for the most cautious investors. A few months ago, I bought a DAO token with 540 SOL after thorough research. The token had a good community and appeared secure, but a few hours later, it dropped to zero, and I lost everything.

    I didn't give up and searched for ways to recover my stolen crypto, finding Crypto Pandemic Hunter page. I contacted them and received a quick response. They investigated my case and used advanced software to trace the stolen funds. Within four days, I got my SOL back, and others did too. I'm grateful for their service and urge fraud victims to reach out to cryptopandemichunter@consultant.com.

    4 Go to comments
    m
    macalliy 2 hours ago
    Don't get out over your skis on the Highlanders

    Online trading can be risky, even for the most cautious investors. A few months ago, I bought a DAO token with 540 SOL after thorough research. The token had a good community and appeared secure, but a few hours later, it dropped to zero, and I lost everything.

    I didn't give up and searched for ways to recover my stolen crypto, finding Crypto Pandemic Hunter page. I contacted them and received a quick response. They investigated my case and used advanced software to trace the stolen funds. Within four days, I got my SOL back, and others did too. I'm grateful for their service and urge fraud victims to reach out to cryptopandemichunter@consultant.com.

    4 Go to comments
    J
    Jmann 2 hours ago
    Four of the best Super Rugby Pacific performers from round eight

    As Feleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou is a NZ born, bred and trained player. One would hope that it is a NZ representative team that he chosen for if is to obtain higher honours.

    8 Go to comments
    G
    GP 4 hours ago
    'He isn't playing well': Former All Blacks question Scott Barrett's form

    Thanks. In metres gained that is what people tend to overly focus on. But I think Scott Barrett is playing well. for the Crusaders. The form lock in the country is Antonio Shalfoon , his Crusaders team mate.That takes the pressure off.

    10 Go to comments
    D
    Derek Murray 4 hours ago
    Geoff Parling: An Englishman roasting the Lions?

    Thanks Nick. He’s always seemed a decent bloke. Our lineout struggled for a while under his stewardship and the Rebels were never great but it feels like we won’t be beaten at set piece in July so the coaches are doing a lot right.

    4 Go to comments
    A
    Andrea Irvine 5 hours ago
    Blues lose All Black for season ahead of Hurricanes derby

    I can rewire a human brain, course through the most sensitive neural pathways, and restore life with steady hands and a sharp scalpel. But it would appear none of those prepared me for the horror of a hardware wallet that had decided it wanted to self-destruct. It had been years since my Ledger device had sat comfortably in my drawer, unvexed and pristine, like a relic from my earlier Bitcoin investment days. Then came the fateful evening when I decided to switch it on just to check on my stash. That is when I was greeted by an error message so incomprehensible that it could as well have been written in ancient hieroglyphics. At first, I kept calm. I had been in life-and-death situations before, so surely, I could troubleshoot a problem with my wallet. Rebooting? Nothing. Firmware reset? Even worse. With every attempt, my precious $680,000 worth of Bitcoin seemed to slip further from my grasp. The real panic set in when I realized that I had stored my recovery phrase somewhere "safe"-so safe that even I couldn't remember where it was. Hours of frantic searching, multiple YouTube tutorials, and a last-ditch effort to reach out to Ledger support resulted in one grim conclusion: "Your funds may be irretrievable." As a neurosurgeon, I’m used to bad news—but this? Unacceptable. That is when I discovered TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY. A little skeptical I was- if they couldn't help me, a manufacturer of the device, then how would anyone else? I had nothing to lose. The moment I reached out to them, I knew I had done the right thing: I was professional, transparent, and confident that they could recover my lost Bitcoin. They performed some kind of digital wallet emergency surgery, getting everything back in six days. Through what can only be described as magic, by way of forensic techniques, they bypassed corruption and extracted my private keys and every Satoshi, to boot. If it stopped there, that would've been great; then they walked me through how to properly secure my assets going forward more "too safe to find" backups. I may be the expert in the operating room, but when it comes to resuscitating a dead crypto wallet, TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY is your team on call. Cold storage has failed; don't try to self-operate, just get the pros in before your Bitcoin flatlines. VISIT THEM ONEMAIL: Techcybersforcerecovery@cyberservices.comTELEGRAM: @TECHCYBERFORCWhatsApp: +1 561 726 36 97

    3 Go to comments
    N
    NB 5 hours ago
    Can Samoa and Tonga ever become contenders when their top talent is skimmed?

    Yep a bad attack of common sense!

    46 Go to comments
    N
    NB 5 hours ago
    Can Samoa and Tonga ever become contenders when their top talent is skimmed?

    Why did he pick Tonga in the first place if he’s a Kiwi HHT?? Answer the question.

    46 Go to comments
    N
    NB 5 hours ago
    Can Samoa and Tonga ever become contenders when their top talent is skimmed?

    It is chicken and egg, but ensuring the island nations can play top tier teams or be part of a competition like the rugby championship would be a massive step towards retaining talent so that they mprove.

    Yes they have to start somewhere. If they really want the PI’s to be competitive they have to back them to the hilt.

    46 Go to comments
    N
    NB 5 hours ago
    Can Samoa and Tonga ever become contenders when their top talent is skimmed?

    You seem to think that because they were developed in NZ they owe the country something. They don’t. They are entitled to represent other nations through parentage, grand parentage or place of birth - just like Sotutu!

    46 Go to comments
    N
    NB 5 hours ago
    Can Samoa and Tonga ever become contenders when their top talent is skimmed?

    No he’s a good chance.

    46 Go to comments
    N
    NB 5 hours ago
    Can Samoa and Tonga ever become contenders when their top talent is skimmed?

    I doubt either would have made it.


    I also don’t think ‘tier one to tier two only’ is an enforceable rule, Theree is to much fluctuation in the world rankings if that is the guide. If say, Tonga suddenly rise to number 6 in the world they cannot reverse course in selection policy!

    46 Go to comments
    N
    NB 5 hours ago
    Can Samoa and Tonga ever become contenders when their top talent is skimmed?

    I don’t refuse to acknowledge it at all HHT! NZ has been the main base for talented PI’s after all…


    Don’t you feel any sense of awkwardness that KT has won 6 Tonga caps and now wants to rep the ABs?

    46 Go to comments
    N
    NB 5 hours ago
    Can Samoa and Tonga ever become contenders when their top talent is skimmed?

    We can only speculate why KT has decided to change course after repping Tonga Graham - was it in response to a hint from the AB selectors??😉

    46 Go to comments
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