All Blacks bring in young lock for Bok clash
NEWS: The All Blacks have bolstered their lock stocks for their clash against the Springboks in London on August 25.
Josh Lord comes in to replace injured hooker George Bell, who was one of three players added to New Zealand’s squad for that World Cup warm-up match.
Scrumhalf Brad Weber and loose forward Samipeni Finau were the other players brought in for that clash against the world champions.
📰 UPDATE | Josh Lord joins the squad for our Test match against the Springboks at Twickenham. Lord replaces the injured George Bell.#AllBlacks pic.twitter.com/QNGtLlkNgQ
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) August 11, 2023
Despite missing most of the Chiefs’ Super Rugby Pacific season, Lord was included in the All Blacks’ Rugby Championship squad and he started in the opening match against Argentina in Mendoza.
However, he failed to get the nod for Foster’s 33-man World Cup squad with the mentor selecting Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Samuel Whitelock and Tupou Vaa’i as his second-row options.
With the Bok clash just two weeks before NZ’s World Cup opener against France, Foster might not want to risk some of his big names in that warm-up match.
Retallick currently has a knee injury and he could be doubtful for the start of the World Cup.
Lord is currently battling a shoulder injury, but it seems he will be good to go if needed against the Boks.
Additional source: Stuff
