Keven Mealamu faces a nervous wait ahead of his IRB judicial hearing © Getty Images

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Matches: England 16 - 26 New Zealand

Players/Officials: Ben Franks | Keven Mealamu | Neemia Tialata

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Teams: England | New Zealand

The All Blacks front row stocks have come under serious pressure after hooker Keven Mealamu was cited for an alleged headbutt and prop Ben Franks was forced to return to New Zealand with a back injury.

Mealamu will front an IRB judicial hearing over an incident in New Zealand's 26-16 win over England on Saturday involving Mealamu and England captain Lewis Moody.

Replays appear to indicate Mealamu grasped Moody's jersey and then made contact with the back of his head when diving into a ruck. Moody needed treatment after the collision but was able to play on until he was substituted for debutant Hendre Fourie in the final quarter.

All Blacks head coach Graham Henry said management received notification of Mealamu's citing shortly after the team arrived from London ahead of Saturday's next test with Scotland at Murrayfield.

"He's been cited for striking the head," said Henry, who said he had not yet seen a replay of the incident. "It surprises me. He's probably the cleanest player in the world isn't he? It was purely accidental as far as I know."

Meanwhile, Wellington prop Tialata, who has 43 test caps, has been called into the squad in place of Franks, who suffered back spasms on Friday and had to pull out of the England test at the last minute. Scans confirmed Franks has a small disc bulge in his lower back and while he would have been a chance for the All Blacks' final tour test against Wales, he has been sent home instead.

Henry said: "It's obviously a huge disappointment for Ben but he understands that it's in his best interests to go home and rehabilitate. Neemia's ability to play both tighthead and loosehead makes him the logical choice to replace Ben."

Tialata's flexibility provides Henry with much-needed options up front, since prop John Afoa may need to be called into action as a stand-in hooker due to the lack of depth in that position.

Andrew Hore is still continuing his rehabilitation from a shoulder dislocation suffered in the last round of the Super 14 in May while Hawke's Bay's Hika Elliot was on the bench against England -- and during the Bledisloe Cup defeat to the Wallabies in Hong Kong -- but is yet to be entrusted with any game time.

It was always anticipated Hore would play against the Scots though his workload would increase significantly if Mealamu -- who captained the All Blacks for the first time at Murrayfield in 2008 -- is banned.

Wing Cory Jane is still recovering from the rib injury he suffered against the Wallabies in Hong Kong and was unlikely to play Scotland, though Hosea Gear's form against the English ensured the absence of his Wellington and Hurricanes teammate was hardly noticeable.