Rugby-All Blacks prop Newell ruled out of Australia test with calf injury

(Reuters) – Prop Fletcher Newell has been ruled out of the All Blacks’ Rugby Championship test meeting with Australia next Saturday due to a calf injury, New Zealand Rugby said on Sunday.

Newell suffered the injury in New Zealand’s 18-12 loss to South Africa in Cape Town last week after coming on as a replacement for Tyrel Lomax.

Ethan de Groot and George Bower have been called up for the test in Sydney, with both teams looking to arrest a run of disappointing recent results.

New Zealand go into the game having lost three of their last four matches, including back-to-back defeats against South Africa, while the Australians are bottom of the Rugby Championship table.

(Reporting by Michael Church; Editing by Edmund Klamann)