GEORGE Bower has been given the All Blacks chance he has spent years waiting for.
The Fiji-born prop is in line to feature in Saturday’s final Test against South Africa in Baltimore, where New Zealand will attempt to finish the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series on level terms.
For Bower, this is more than another Test against the Springboks.
It is an opportunity to turn a long history of being overlooked into a compelling case for a permanent place in the All Blacks picture.
The 34-year-old has already taken significant steps during this series, featuring in all three Tests and progressing from the bench to the starting XV.
That progression is important.
It suggests Dave Rennie is beginning to see Bower not simply as experienced cover, but as a prop capable of confronting the most demanding forward pack in world rugby.
And that is where Bower’s value lies.
He knows the physical language of South African rugby.
He understands that against the Springboks there are no hiding places for a front-rower.
The scrum is a battlefield, every carry is a collision, and every defensive effort demands accuracy.
Bower brings experience, strength and a growing ability to contribute beyond the set-piece.
