Rugby: McGougan called in to Junior All Blacks

Bay of Plenty front rower James McGougan's impressive debut season in Super rugby has been rewarded with an injury-enforced call-up to the Junior All Blacks.

McGougan, a fixture in a much-improved Chiefs pack, was summoned today as cover for Highlanders and Southland prop Jamie Mackintosh.

Mackintosh will not travel with the squad on Thursday to Samoa, where the Junior All Blacks open their Pacific Nations Cup campaign in Apia this weekend.

The loosehead, who earned his solitary All Black cap on last year's tour to Hong Kong, the UK and Ireland, has been troubled by an eye injury.

He may have sustained a fractured eye socket and will undergo a further medical assessment.

Mackintosh's misfortune extends the best season of McGougan's fledgling first class rugby career.

He established himself in the Bay of Plenty pack last season and became an automatic choice as the Chiefs advanced to the Super 14 final against the Bulls last month.

Mackintosh will rejoin the squad providing he is passed fit during the tournament's time frame.

The Juniors, who replace New Zealand Maori in this year's tournament, also play three matches in Fiji against their hosts, Japan and Tonga on June 18, 23 and July 2 respectively.

- NZPA