Tony Woodcock scores a try for the All Blacks in the 2011 Rugby World Cup final from a lineout move dubbed "teabag".

All Blacks loosehead prop Tony Woodcock has played his last test after suffering a hamstring injury in the Rugby World Cup clash with Tonga.

The injury ends a 117-test career punctuated by winning matches up-front for the All Blacks and a memorable try in the 2011 Rugby World Cup final - the only one in the match against France at Eden Park.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen confirmed on Saturday (Sunday NZ Time) Woodcock's World Cup and test career were over after suffering a hamstring tear in the 47-9 victory over Tonga in Newcastle.

Anthony Au-Yeung/ Getty Images All Blacks veteran Tony Woodcock is presented with his 100th test cap by captain Richie McCaw.



All Blacks prop Tony Woodcock shares with family the night of winning his 100th test cap.

The injury would take at least three weeks to heal putting Woodcock out of the tournament, leaving him to reflect on a stellar career capped by a try in his last test.

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Willy Nicholls/ Stuff.co.nz Steve Hansen laments the loss to injury of veteran loose-head prop Tony Woodcock.

Losing the first of their six departing veterans is a body blow for the All Blacks but one they can absorb with Canterbury's Joe Moody en route to Swansea where the team will be based ahead of their quarterfinal in Cardiff next week.

Hansen quipped Moody's call up was news to him when learning of it first on Stuff.co.nz.

"As I've read on Stuff this morning Joe Moody is on his way over. It's exciting for him and we'll look forward to him arriving on Sunday," Hansen said.

Phil Walter/ Getty Images Tony Woodcock drinks from the Bledisloe Cup after the All Blacks retained it in 2013.

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The unfortunate injury marks a cruel end to Woodcock's coveted 13-year career.

The All Blacks' most capped prop is the first of the experienced core - Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith and Keven Mealamu the others - to sign off. In his case it has come prematurely and the nature of the circumstances will be felt by the team.

PHIL WALTER/GETTY IMAGES Tony Woodcock in action for the All Blacks against Tonga before limping off early in the second half with a hamstring injury.

"You'd never know it from him," Smith said.

"That's the way he is. I heard him talking to his wife on the bus behind me saying 'these things happen'. It's tough, and he'll cope with it but it will be a big loss for us. We'll be hurting for him I'm sure but he wouldn't want us to dwell on it."

Most point to Woodcock scoring the All Blacks' only try from a perfectly-executed lineout move in the 2011 World Cup final triumph over France as his finest moment.

Hansen, however, reflected on his coming of age in the 45-6 rout of France in Paris in 2004 where he demolished the locals' scrum in his sixth test.



"It's not a great way for a great player to play his last test match if he's going to retire," Hansen said, downplaying concerns the shoddy St James' Park surface which cut up with every scrum contributed to his injury.

"It's disappointing for him but sport is like that. It can be quite cruel. It's now important we support him but at the same time get on with our job and he supports us doing that.

"We talked about that in the shed. He's an unsung hero. He can reflect on his career at some point when he is ready to do that with a lot of satisfaction. New Zealanders should be very proud of him."

Carrying 10 extra players than at this tournament during the Rugby Championship allowed Hansen to put contingency plans in place for most positions.

Moody has played eight tests, five off the bench, the last of which was against Wales in Cardiff last year. He's likely to be third in line on the loosehead, behind Wyatt Crockett and Ben Franks, who can play both sides.

Crockett will slot into Woodcock's role this week and while there may be concerns from outside the camp about his technique and history with falling foul of referees, Hansen swatted away such potential issues.

"Wyatt has been scrummaging and playing really well. We're very confident he'll step up and confident Moody or Ben if we use either one of those two will step up as well. One of the reasons we carried 41 was to make sure everyone was up with what we were doing and if we did get injuries wherever it would be seamless."

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The All Blacks scrum has been far from perfect. It was pushed around at times - legally or not - by the physical Georgian pack and troubled by Tonga, though they will be satisfied to escape on their own line while Kieran Read was sin-binned.

Other than Woodcock's injury Hansen confirmed McCaw and Charlie Faumuina, both of whom sat out the win over Tonga with minor knocks, would be available this week.