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Two props called into All Blacks squad after Fletcher Newell injured
By Ben Smith
The All Blacks will be without Crusaders prop Fletcher Newell for the first Bledisloe Cup match in Sydney after he suffered a calf injury.
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Newell suffered the injury in the second Test against the Springboks in Cape Town late in the game after coming on as a replacement for tighthead Tyrel Lomax.
After being given the fortnight to assess the extent of the injury, the All Blacks have decided against playing Newell against the Wallabies this week, instead calling up All Black prop George Bower and first choice loosehead Ethan de Groot, who has completed his own comeback for Southland Stags in the NPC.
Otago prop Bower has withdrawn from this weekend’s NPC clash to join the squad.
Bower last played for the All Blacks in 2022 on the end of year tour against England, a 25-all draw at Twickenham. He played 14 games of Super Rugby Pacific with the Crusaders this season.
A further smaller group of players will travel to Sydney on Monday as cover after the completion of round six of the NPC.
Watch the highly acclaimed five-part documentary Chasing the Sun 2, chronicling the journey of the Springboks as they strive to successfully defend the Rugby World Cup, free on RugbyPass TV (*unavailable in Africa)
Razor will have make do with what he's got. Just an era where we "Lack the Talent we once had" and that's reflected in the results of the All Blacks.
We lack competition. Super Rugby is a joke! as is NZRFU. . .
Most Rugby supporters in N.Z. live in the fairy tale world "That New Zealand is still the "best and unbeatable"
We are run by "Unfit For Purpose" organisation, which has flowed on to an "Unfit For Purpose" All Blacks.
J Barrett, B Barrett, (Ofa, Lomax, No discipline) Blackadder Injuries finally caught up with him) DMac Can't implement a game plan) Reiko, Cane, All Gone Now. . .
Most sheep shagger opinion I have ever read.
Be fascinating to see whether the Razor gang think Tosi is ready for international rugby, coming off the bench. Otherwise they are going to have to swap Ofa or Tamaiti over to tight-head, which would be a shame now that both of them are settled at loosehead, and have become real weapons. Ofa in particular, has become a much more consistent scrummager now that they've kept him at loosehead. Hope Tosi is ready - at least he'd only be up against Kailea, who is very promising but would be almost as inexperienced as Tosi. (Surely Slipper is past his use-by).
Now is the time to see Tosi. Surely the sort of impact player we need if he is up to test footie
I really want them to start Ofa & Tamaiti together at least once... So they can swap roles during a game as wanted/needed.
The All Blacks need to sort out the "Anti Razor attitude of BB, JB, SC and AS, which will destroy the All Blacks if he doesn't get rid of them.
If there is actually an issue there which doesn't seem to be the case, then surely Razor needs to be leader they follow....? Jordie and Savea are two of our best along with being our VCs.
Jordie Barrett and Ardie Savea are definitely staying. Some of the best players in the world, though I would like JB to go back to fullback.
Sam Cane will be removed soon enough, he is only a stopgap measure. Same for Beauden Barrett I think. Excellent player and rugby brain, but time to move on.