New Zealand v Australia, Rugby Championship
Injury rules Woodcock out
ESPN Staff
August 21, 2012
All Blacks prop Tony Woodcock crashes over to score, New Zealand v France, Rugby World Cup Final, Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand, October 23, 2011
Tony Woodcock will miss the clash with Australia on Saturday © Getty Images
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The All Blacks will be without loose-head Tony Woodcock for Saturday's clash with Australia in Auckland.

The veteran prop has a rib injury and left the field in the first Bledisloe Cup clash after 64 minutes on Saturday during the New Zealanders' 27-19 win. Reports in the local press suggest that Woodcock will be only sidelined for a week and so should be fit for the match at home to Argentina on September 8.

Crusaders prop Wyatt Crockett seems to be the likely replacement for Woodcock, with boss Steve Hansen claiming that he will be replaced by a specialist and Luke Romano has tipped him to impress.

Romano said: "He [Woodcock] is a very experienced member of the forward pack and what he brings with his experience and scrummage nous is going to be sorely lost, but the man replacing him has been playing some good footy the last couple of years so I'm sure Crocky [Wyatt Crockett] will step up.

"If he gets the chance to go out there he's going to put his best foot forward. He's shown what he can do in Super Rugby, he's a great ball-playing prop and he scrummages very well."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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