All Blacks suffer setback as first-choice loose-head prop De Groot suspended for two games

All Blacks suffer setback as first-choice loose-head prop De Groot suspended for two gamesAll Blacks suffer setback as first-choice loose-head prop De Groot suspended for two games[Image: Stuff.co.nz]The All Blacks have suffered a blow in their Rugby World Cup 2023 campaign after first-choice loose-head prop Ethan De Groot was handed a two-match suspension following his red card offence in their 71-3 thrashing of Namibia over the weekend. At the hearing, De Groot admitted he had committed an act of foul play, but maintained the red-card threshold had not been met and challenged the Foul Play Review Official’s decision that the tackle was “always illegal”. All Blacks coach Ian Foster later claimed the initial contact in the collision had been shoulder on shoulder, and pointed to Booysen’s injury as evidence of that. The All Blacks will now rely on senior prop Ofa Tuungafasi and rookie Crusaders front-rower Tamaiti Williams to cover the loosehead for the final two Pool A clashes against Italy and Uruguay. The All Blacks will play Italy next Saturday at 7am in their third RWC pool game.