All Blacks suffer first injury blow in South Africa as hooker George Bell is ruled out of Greatest Rivalry tour and Bradley Slater is called up.
New Zealand Rugby have confirmed that Crusaders hooker George Bell will return home after sustaining a calf injury during training in Cape Town on Sunday. He is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks.
Bell suffered the injury during one of the All Blacks’ first training sessions in the Mother City ahead of the opening match of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour against the Stormers.
He was added to the squad following the Nations Championship matches as the fourth-choice hooker behind Codie Taylor, Asafo Aumua and Samisoni Taukei’aho, but his tour is over before it could even begin.
In Bell’s absence, Rennie has called up 27-year-old Taranaki and Blues hooker Bradley Slater, who becomes the latest uncapped player added to the squad, taking the total to four.
Slater’s father Andy is a Taranaki rugby legend while his uncle Gordon played six matches for the All Blacks, including three Tests, in 1997 and 2000.
The Blues front rower made a name for himself at New Plymouth Boys’ High School as both a rugby player and a cricketer, playing for the school’s First XV and First XI.
He made the New Zealand Schools team and the Chiefs side in 2019, playing more than 60 games for the Super side through to 2025, before transferring to the Blues. He continued his rise in rugby, earning selection for the All Blacks XV in 2024 and 2025.
“We are all gutted for George, to be ruled out of the tour so early,” All Blacks Head Coach Rennie said.
“He’s had a frustrating past few months with injury so it’s a real blow for him to have injured his calf again. We look forward to seeing him return via the NPC and put himself in a position to push for All Blacks selection later in the year.”
