The All Blacks have been handed mixed news on the injury front, with Ethan de Groot returning from a neck injury, while Fletcher Newell has been ruled out of this week’s trip to Sydney.
In that time, Tamaiti Williams has been an impressive replacement in the No 1 jersey, as part of the first-choice front row alongside Codie Taylor and Tyrel Lomax.
De Groot made his competitive return on Friday, as Southland fell to a 29-41 defeat to Canterbury in Invercargill.
However, de Groot’s return comes as 24-year-old Newell has been ruled out with a calf issue.
Newell also featured in South Africa as part of the reserve front row, but will not travel to face the Wallabies in Sydney next weekend.
The timeline for Newell’s return has been listed at between three and four weeks, but All Blacks’ medical staff will assess the prop before the return fixture against Australia in Wellington on September 28.
In Newell’s absence, George Bower has been withdrawn from Otago’s NPC fixture against Counties Manukau to travel with the All Blacks to Australia as injury cover.
However, that will almost certainly mean a reshuffle in the front row stocks, with Bower - a loosehead prop - replacing Newell, a specialist tighthead.
Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Williams are both able to cover the No 1 and No 3 jerseys.
