New Zealand
Tony Woodcock ruled out for remainder of season
ESPN Staff
August 8, 2014

Tony Woodcock will miss the remainder of the season to undergo shoulder surgery, while Dominic Bird has been sidelined for three weeks with turf toe.

Crusaders loose-head Joe Moody has replaced Woodcock in the All Blacks' squad for the Rugby Championship, with his team-mate Wyatt Crockett set to start against Australia in the first Bledisloe Cup Test at ANZ Stadium in Sydney on August 16. The pair's team-mate Bird has been replaced in the squad by Hurricanes second-row Jeremy Thrush.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said the loss of the 110-Test Woodcock for the rest of the year was a negative for the team but "every dark cloud has a bit of silver lining, and, for him, it will be the opportunity to do something he hasn't done for 12 seasons and that's get a good off-season,'' Hansen said.

''It will be important because it will freshen him up and I'm pretty sure he'll be hungry getting into it next year.''

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