All Blacks add Josh Lord to boost second-row stocks for Rugby World Cup warmup

Young Chiefs and Taranaki lock Josh Lord has been whistled up to boost the All Blacks’ sagging lock stock for their pre-World Cup hitout against the Springboks at Twickenham on August 29.

All Blacks coach Ian Foster initially announced at Monday’s World Cup squad announcement that he was going to add halfback Brad Weber, loose forward Samipeni Finau and hooker George Bell to the group for their clash against the Boks, which serves as both a nice little earner for the respective countries, and a final pre-tournament shakedown.

But on Friday the All Blacks announced that Lord, who was part of the Rugby Championship squad, but missed the cut for the global tournament, would now join them for the week of the Twickenham match. He replaces injured Canterbury hooker Bell.

The New Zealanders, like all World Cup teams, are only allowed to bring their official 33-man squads to the tournament in France, but it’s likely they will want to keep some fringe types close at hand should injury strike.

Lord’s inclusion, oddly at the expense of a hooker, makes sense as the All Blacks are going to have to make do without senior lock Brodie Retallick for at least the first game, maybe two, at the Cup because of his PCL (knee) injury. They may not want to risk their top men ahead of the tournament opener against the hosts.

Retallick has been included in the squad, alongside fellow second-rowers Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett and Tupou Vaa’i, and it is hoped he could be fit as soon as the second pool match against Namibia on September 15.

The 22-year-old Lord has played three tests for the All Blacks, including July’s 41-12 victory over Argentina in Mendoza, and was considered unlucky to be squeezed out for the World Cup among a strong second-row contingent.

Foster conformed on Monday Lord had been dealing with a shoulder injury himself, but Friday’s summoning suggests he is on the right side of that recovery process.