Taranaki rugby standout Bradley Slater is heading to South Africa after receiving an urgent call-up to the All Blacks squad.
The 27-year-old hooker has been drafted in by head coach Dave Rennie to replace George Bell.
Bell suffered a calf strain during training in Cape Town on Sunday, ruling him out of the inaugural Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Tour before it even started.
He is expected to face up to six weeks on the sidelines and will return to New Zealand for rehabilitation.
Slater is due to touch down in South Africa on Wednesday to link up with the 44-man squad.
All Blacks coach Dave Rennie expressed his disappointment over the injury setback.
"We are all gutted for George, to be ruled out of the tour so early," Rennie said. "He's had a frustrating past few months with injury so it's a real blow for him to have injured his calf again."
Rennie added that the management team looks forward to seeing Bell return through the National Provincial Championship to push for selection later in the year.
For Slater, the call-up is a massive opportunity to showcase his physicality and accurate set-piece work on the international stage.
The former New Plymouth Boys' High School student is no stranger to high expectations, coming from a family steeped in Taranaki rugby history.
His father, Andy Slater, is a provincial legend, while his uncle, Gordon Slater, played six matches for the All Blacks in the late 1990s and 2000.
Slater will be looking to make his mark in the tight five as the All Blacks prepare for a gruelling string of matches against South African opposition.
