ABs lose Woodcock to injury

ABs lose Woodcock to injury

The All Blacks suffered a major loss to their front row as loosehead prop Tony Woodcock will miss the team’s next Test against the Wallabies on Saturday.

The 31-year-old, who has played 71 Tests, is sidelined with a rib injury and will miss this weekend’s clash in Auckland. It’s a big blow considering the player’s contribution to the All Blacks’ dominant scrum displayed against Australia in Sydney last weekend.

Woodcock is set to be replaced by Crusaders prop Wyatt Crockett in the starting line-up.

Crockett has only featured in six Tests since making his international debut in 2009.

Meanwhile, the Wallabies also lost a front-rower in loosehead prop Sekope Kepu for the upcoming Test. Kepu is struggling with a knee injury, and is set to be replaced by either James Slipper (who was on the bench in Sydney) or Ben Alexander.


35 Comments

  • 1.Brigadier Van Zyl: Reply to this comment

    If i remember correctly….even the mighty john smit at prop scrummed crockett in 2009. What bout the other frank lunatic…or that tuamamabosomething from the chiefs?

  • 2.viewer: Reply to this comment

    @1 ben franks. The chiefs l/h is not eligible for NZ

  • 3.mshiniwami: Reply to this comment

    It’d be a mistake to start Crockett

    He is a fine player,possibly a better alround player than even Woodcock but he is plagued by penalties especially on the engage at scrumtime.Refs will always ping him if scrum goes down,expect Oz to play on that.Rather start Ben Franks.

  • 4.stew: Reply to this comment

    What bull – Crockett can scrumage and will violate most international props – go for it Wyatt !!!!

  • 5.Transformation: Reply to this comment

    @Brigadier Van Zyl-1: “even the mighty john smit at prop scrummed crockett in 2009.”

    the way you are able to fabricate things in your mind is uncanny, where did john “scrum” wyatt crockett?

    this was the ABs team in ’09

    All Blacks — 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Stephen Donald, 9 Brendon Leonard, 8 Rodney So’oialo, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Isaac Ross, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Neemia Tialata, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock.

    Subs: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Owen Franks, 18 Jason Eaton, 19 Kieran Read, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Luke McAlister, 22 Cory Jane.

  • 6.aliboy: Reply to this comment

    Crocket is actually pretty strong. He does however seem easy for opposition TH’s to unsettle, and this is where he can come unstuck. In a straight push without any ‘funny stuff’ he will hold his own with most. Against an experienced TH who knows all the tricks he may struggle more. Aus scrum was better than expected (or AB’s worse than expected?), so it could be a pretty interesting battle this weekend.

  • 7.stew: Reply to this comment

    @aliboy-6: He has been working with Mike Cron since last year so i have no worries . Did you see the Crusaders scrum this season – need i say more ? And in the loose probably the most mobile prop on the planet

  • 8.Brigadier Van Zyl: Reply to this comment

    5…..and was that the team for all 3 games? and did i not say “correct me if i am wrong”
    ….pratt

  • 9.Brigadier Van Zyl: Reply to this comment

    ?..if i remember correctly.

    I am aso a pratt

  • 10.poppa69: Reply to this comment

    @viewer-2: ummm and where did you get your information?

    Tameifuna was born in NZ, and played for the NZ U20 side in 2011..

    not sure how this equates to him being ineligible for NZ???

  • 11.poppa69: Reply to this comment

    @viewer-2: perhaps you are confusing him with his Uncle Arizona Taumalolo, the chiefs hooker? who played for Tonga at the last WC.

  • 12.poppa69: Reply to this comment

    @poppa69-11: correction, Taumalolo plays prop..

  • 13.Transformation: Reply to this comment

    @poppa69-12: now apologise to viewer… :D

  • 14.willievz: Reply to this comment

    The IRB will find a way for Taumalolololo (whatever) to play for the ABs, soon.

  • 15.katman: Reply to this comment

    @poppa69-12: should have read: correction. I’m a cnt.

  • 16.Skeppie: Reply to this comment

    @poppa69-12: Pops thought you went by a different handle these days?

  • 17.cane: Reply to this comment

    Plenty of time to chuck wood now Woody.

  • 18.gunther: Reply to this comment

    @katman-15:

    indeed fckn spell check.

  • 19.katman: Reply to this comment

    @cane-17: I don’t think Woodcock can chuck wood.

  • 20.cane: Reply to this comment

    Wallabies……………………………………….here is your worst nightmare…

    Wyatt “the smoking gun” Crockett.

    Tombstone and The Alamo were mere picnics……………………………Eden Park will be the real deal.

  • 21.cane: Reply to this comment

    @katman-19:

    Maybe, maybe not.

    But if Woodcock could chuck wood,
    How much is the question.

  • 22.Skeppie: Reply to this comment

    @cane-20: Woocock was a really good AB but Crockett should be starting anyway…not exactly a repreive for the Wallabies!

  • 23.Skeppie: Reply to this comment

    @stew-7: I reckon the Beast is a tad more mobile than Crockett but agree either way Crockett is a good player.

  • 24.katman: Reply to this comment

    Let them play the ghoulish lovechild of Wyatt Earp and Davey Crockett. I’d pay money to see the way he shakes his head in utter disbelief every time the whistle goes at the end of a scrum collapse. That’s entertainment.

  • 25.Big Hit: Reply to this comment

    What dominant All Black scrum Gareth? the weak-scrummaging Aussies more than held their own. Perception =/= Reality

  • 26.aliboy: Reply to this comment

    @Big Hit-25: We will all know a bit more after another couple of rounds about where the respective scrums are at this year. I expect the AB’s will be a bit weaker this year with a very young lock in the 2nd row instead of the big BT engine, plus a 6 without Kaino’s extra power, but I also don’t believe that they will get pushed around too much either. The first choice Aus scrum did look a bit better than they have in the recent past, but sooner or later that is going to happen, and this may be the start of it. A few more weeks and all will become clear.

  • 27.cane: Reply to this comment

    @Big Hit-25:

    They usually do Biggles,
    they are crafty devils.

  • 28.poppa69: Reply to this comment

    katgirl, no correction needed..

    yuo are indeed a cnut…

  • 29.katman: Reply to this comment

    @poppa69-28: Excuse me a moment as I come to terms with your staggering wit.

    There, I’m done.

  • 30.poppa69: Reply to this comment

    @katman-29: oh, you thought I was trying to be funny?

    theres your mnistake, I was just being factual..

  • 31.Hurricane: Reply to this comment

    @willievz-14:
    Will they?
    Are you sure about this?
    @katman-15:
    Hang on, according to all the fair debaters here on Keo, its Poppa that starts everything. And what have we here then? Katman calling himself a cnt.

  • 32.aliboy: Reply to this comment

    @willievz-14: Aren’t there more foreign born players in the Boks than the AB’s at the moment??

  • 33.Te Rangatira: Reply to this comment

    @aliboy-32:
    Do we have any foreign born players in Abs at the moment?

  • 34.aliboy: Reply to this comment

    Not that I can think of.

  • 35.cane: Reply to this comment

    @aliboy-34:

    Englanders got a few.

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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