The All Blacks have been dealt another mighty injury blow ahead of their back-to-back Tests against the Springboks in South Africa, with Ethan de Groot ruled out.
The loosehead prop is currently one of the best scrummagers in Test rugby but will not make the trip to South Africa due to a neck injury.
All Blacks lose key prop
De Groot earned his Test debut against Fiji in July 2021, featuring a further three times that year as he lined up against the Pacific Islanders once again before turning out against USA and Italy.
However, it was when Jason Ryan joined the All Blacks coaching staff that the prop really made his breakthrough into the squad and quickly became a regular starter and a catalyst in turning the side’s set-piece into a weapon once again.
The front-rower missed the All Blacks’ second Test match against Argentina due to the same injury with Tamaiti Williams elevated to the starting XV in his place.
With De Groot ruled out of the clashes in Johannesburg and Cape Town, Crusaders prop George Bower has been called into the squad as cover.
It is yet another disruption to the All Blacks’ preparations following the shock resignation of assistant coach Leon MacDonald. The prop also joins the side’s injury list that includes lock Patrick Tuipulotu and outside back Stephen Perofeta.
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The Springboks’ scrum dominance has been crucial to their success in recent years and 2024 has been no different.
Meanwhile, the All Blacks have also impressed in that facet of the game even when De Groot missed the clash against Los Pumas at Eden Park.
However, the loosehead prop was part of the pack that put the Springboks under immense pressure during the 2023 Rugby World Cup final, with Ryan making technical changes that troubled South Africa.
“The All Blacks have a pretty straightforward front-row just like South Africa, if they want to dominate you, they want to do it by all three guys changing height and going through you,” Springboks prop Ox Nche said on The 8-9 Combo Rugby podcast in June.
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“But in the final, they all went through the tighthead [Tyrel Lomax] which was my side and they all changed the angle which for me was definitely something different.
“I had never seen that picture from them from any of our previous games and I was like okay ‘Now how do I counter this?’ It was a new thing for me to see from them – it was difficult.”
While the pressure Nche spoke of was through the tighthead side of the scrum, De Groot was crucial for New Zealand in keeping Springboks veteran Frans Malherbe at bay for most of the match.
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