All Blacks prop Ethan de Groot has been ruled out of two Rugby Championship tests in South Africa due to a neck injury sustained two weeks ago.
De Groot, 26, was taken off after 59 minutes of a 38-30 defeat to Argentina in Wellington on 10 August.
A week later, he did not feature against the same opposition as New Zealand won 42-10.
George Bower, 32, played the first of his 21 tests in 2021.
He was not part of the original squad to tour South Africa named by new coach Scott Robertson.
New Zealand takes on the world champions at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on 31 August.
Click to read more about Rugby
