All Blacks prop Woodcock leaves tour

All Blacks prop Tony Woodcock has abandoned the side's tour of Britain to return to New Zealand because of a family illness, the New Zealand Rugby Union said Monday.

Woodcock, who was sin-binned in New Zealand's 23-19 win over England on Saturday, will not rejoin the tour which concludes next weekend with a test against Scotland. No replacement will be named because the touring party has four fit props, the union said.

New Zealand has beaten Wales, Ireland and England on successive weekends and needs a win over Scotland to complete its first "Grand Slam" since 1978, AP reports.

A. A.