• Tu’ungafasi withdraws from the championship after a neck injury.
• He will be replaced by Newell.
• He will miss matches in South Africa.

Ofa Tu’ungafasi has withdrawn from the All Blacks’ Rugby Championship matches in South Africa due to a neck injury, revealed New Zealand head coach Ian Foster on Tuesday.

Tu’ungafasi, 30 years old, sustained the injury during the All Blacks’ first home series loss since 1994, which occurred during the All Blacks’ loss in the third Test against Ireland in Wellington.

He will miss New Zealand’s Test matches in South Africa on August 7 in Mbombela and a week later in Johannesburg, as the All Blacks are under pressure after losing four of their last five games.

It is anticipated that Tu’ungafasi would recuperate in time to participate in the home Tests against Argentina on August 27 in Christchurch and one week later in Hamilton.

Ofa Tu’ungafasi has been replaced in the All Blacks team for the South Africa tour by 22-year-old uncapped Crusaders prop Fletcher Newell.

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