Young Taranaki and Chiefs lock Josh Lord has been called into the All Blacks squad for the end of year to the USA and Europe.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The 20-year-old, who only made his Super Rugby debut earlier this year, comes in as locks Scott Barrett and Patrick Tuipulotu return to New Zealand for family reasons.
Lord gets his call-up as senior players Sam Cane, Samuel Whitelock, Dane Coles and Shannon Frizell rejoin the fray, with all four to link up with squad in the Northern Hemisphere.
All Blacks head coach Ian Foster said the squad had come through the Rugby Championship well form a physical point of view.
"Therefore, we've decided to add fewer players than first anticipated for the next part of our 12-week Tour.
"Also having the Bunnings Warehouse NPC continue into November means we are also able to bring over potential replacements, if required."
After first making his provincial debut for Taranaki in 2019, Lord was called into the Chiefs wider training squad in 2020.
He graduated to the full squad this year, making his Super Rugby debut against the Crusaders and playing five matches.
Hailing from the small township of Owhango in the central North Island, Lord attended Hamilton Boys' High School and first came onto the national radar with the University of Waikato under-20 side, as well as the New Zealand under-20 team in 2018.
With the All Blacks squad unable to return to New Zealand, the squad was relocating from the Gold Coast to the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday.
The squad would have a week off and a training camp next week before flying out to the USA on 17 October.
The All Blacks play the USA Eagles in Washington DC on 23 October before heading to Europe for test matches against Wales, Italy, Ireland and France.
