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Matt Todd misses Bledisloe Cup with injury

Matt Todd has suffered a groin injury and will miss Saturday's match
Image: Matt Todd has suffered a groin injury and will miss Saturday's match

Kiwi Matt Todd will miss Saturday's Bledisloe Cup game against Australia after suffering a groin injury during training.

His place on the All Blacks bench will be taken by Ardie Savea for the Test at Brisbane's Lang Park.

The flanker's injury is the latest in a long line of problems for Steve Hansen's squad, with fly-half Beauden Barrett and winger Nehe Milner-Skudder among the absentees.

This weekend's Test will be the final match for New Zealand's assistant coach Wayne Smith, who ends a 20-year association with the team.

Smith, 60, has had three stints with the national side and Hansen said: "He's very open-minded, he shares things and is inventive.

All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith will leave his post after this weekend's Test
Image: All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith will leave his post after this weekend's Test

"He's never sat still as a coach, he's always been very passionate about it.

"He won't be defined by whatever happens Saturday. He's done something magnificently for the All Blacks and New Zealand rugby, and probably world rugby.

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"We can all be proud of him."

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Smith, who was a fly-half during his playing days, represented the country in 17 Tests and also spent three seasons with Northampton.

He played a part in New Zealand's back-to-back World Cup triumphs of 2011 and 2015.

The All Blacks have already wrapped up the Bledisloe Cup, with victories in the opening two games of the three-match series.

Saturday's Test in Queensland is being shown live on Sky Sports Arena from 9.45am.

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