Woodcock returning home

All Blacks loosehead prop Tony Woodcock was today on his way home to Auckland after a family medical emergency.

Woodcock, who had starts against Ireland and England over the past two weekends, will not rejoin the tour, which concludes in Edinburgh this weekend as the All Blacks seek to complete a Grand Slam of the rugby home nations with a win against Scotland.

With four other props in the touring quad -- John Afoa, Carl Hayman, Saimone Taumoepeau and Neemia Tialata -- no replacement is being called from New Zealand.

Along with tighthead Hayman and hooker Keven Mealamu, Woodcock formed the front row that more than matched the much-vaunted England pack on Sunday morning (New Zealand time) but spent 10 minutes in the sinbin for pulling down a maul.

- NZPA