Ethan De Groot of New Zealand dejected after loss to Argentina. 2024. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
All Blacks prop Ethan de Groot has been ruled out of the two Rugby Championship tests in South Africa because of injury.
De Groot has not recovered from a neck injury sustained two weeks ago.
He has been replaced in the squad by George Bower.
De Groot, 26, was taken off after 59 minutes of the 38-30 defeat to Argentina in Wellington on 10 August and did not feature against the same opposition a week later as New Zealand won 42-10.
Bower, 32, played the first of his 21 tests in 2021 but was not part of the original squad to tour South Africa named by new coach Scott Robertson.
He missed much of 2023 with a serious knee injury.
New Zealand take on the world champions at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on 31 August and a week later in Cape Town.
South Africa have a maximum 10 points from their opening two wins over Australia, five more than New Zealand.
- Reuters