Slater replaces injured Bell for All Blacks
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All Blacks hooker, George Bell, will return home from South Africa after suffering a calf strain during training in Cape Town on Sunday.
Bell's return to play is expected to be four to six weeks. He will return to New Zealand to rehabilitate.
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Taranaki and Blues hooker Bradley Slater has been called into the squad and is due to arrive on Wednesday.
"We are all gutted for George, to be ruled out of the tour so early," said All Blacks Head Coach Dave Rennie. “He’s had a frustrating past few months with injury so it’s a real blow for him to have injured his calf again. We look forward to seeing him return via the NPC and put himself in a position to push for All Blacks selection later in the year."
The 27-year-old Taranaki and Blues hooker Bradley Slater comes from strong rugby pedigree with his father, Andy a Taranaki rugby legend and uncle Gordon played six matches for the All Blacks, including three Tests, in 1997 and 2000.
Brad Slater He made the New Zealand Schools team and the Chiefs side in 2019, playing more than 60 games for the Super side through to 2025, before transferring to the Blues. He earned selection for the All Blacks XV in 2024 and 2025.