George Gadai Bower is a New Zealand rugby union player born on 28 May 1992 in Wellington, specifically associated with the Taita area of Lower Hutt.
He plays as a prop and is known for his versatility in covering both the tighthead and loosehead positions in the scrum.
Of Fijian heritage through his parents Niko and Kula Bower, with paternal ties to Vagadaci village on Ovalau Island and maternal links to Nakelo in Tailevu, he was raised in New Zealand with strong family and faith values.
He attended Taita College and began his rugby journey at the Avalon Rugby Club in Wellington, later representing the Wellington under-20s in 2011.
Bower has built a professional career primarily with Otago in the National Provincial Championship (NPC, also known as Bunnings NPC) and the Crusaders in Super Rugby, while earning international recognition with the All Blacks.
Siblings
George has two younger brothers, Koli and William.
The two have also been involved with the Avalon Rugby Club in Lower Hutt, the same club where George started and where other family members have played or continue to play.
Career
Bower’s path to professional rugby was gradual rather than meteoric.
After early representative experience with Wellington under-20s, he moved to Dunedin, where he played club rugby for the Harbour Hawks and made a brief NPC debut for Otago as an injury replacement in 2014.
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Regular opportunities were limited at first; he returned more consistently for Otago from 2018 onward, eventually accumulating around 30 appearances for the province.
In 2019 he earned a chance with the Crusaders, making his Super Rugby debut that year against the Chiefs after featuring in pre-season.
He was officially included in the Crusaders squad from 2020 and has since become a regular, reaching 100 appearances for the franchise by around mid-2026 while contributing as an agile and skilful front-rower.
At the international level, Bower was named in the All Blacks wider training squad in 2020 and made his Test debut on 3 July 2021 against Tonga at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland, becoming All Black number 1194.
He has since earned multiple caps (around 25 by late 2025, with further appearances in 2026), including selection after periods of non-selection that required sustained club and provincial form to regain his place.
He can cover both sides of the scrum and has been noted for his work rate, physicality, and perseverance through injury setbacks and intense competition for places.
Accolades
Bower’s primary team achievements have come with the highly successful Crusaders, contributing to multiple Super Rugby titles during his tenure, including the 2019 Super Rugby championship, Super Rugby Aotearoa successes in 2020 and 2021, and Super Rugby Pacific titles in subsequent years such as 2022 and 2023 (with the side remaining competitive and title-contending into later seasons).
On the international stage, selection for the All Blacks itself represents a major career milestone, along with accumulating Test caps and contributing to series victories.
He has also scored tries in professional matches, including notable efforts later in his career after many appearances without one.
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