The All Blacks have dumped star wingers Ben Smith and Rieko Ioane, along with centurion prop Owen Franks in a sensational move ahead of the Bledisloe Cup decider in Auckland.
In a potential changing of the guard five weeks out from the Rugby World Cup, coach Steve Hansen has introduced young flyers Sevu Reece and George Bridge to the wing for Saturday’s winner-takes-all Test.
Nepo Laulala claims Franks’ tighthead berth in one of five starting changes from the team humbled 47-26 by the Wallabies in Perth.
Two changes were forced.
Veteran Sonny Bill Williams returns to the midfield following injury to Jack Goodhue, pushing Anton Lienert-Brown to outside centre, while fourth-choice lock Patrick Tuipulotu replaces the suspended Scott Barrett.
The axing from the 23 of Smith and Franks could potentially end the career of two great All Blacks, with both having signed European club contracts beyond the World Cup.
Smith, a 79-Test veteran who last week became the first 33-year-old to play an All Blacks Test on the wing, may struggle for a seat to Japan in a hotly-contested position.
Franks is the seventh most capped All Black with 108 Tests and one of their greatest scrummagers but the two-time World Cup winner lacks the mobility that Hansen now demands of his props.
Ioane’s form is a pale shadow of 2017-18, resulting in the exclusion of a player who has scored 23 tries in 26 Tests.
It leaves New Zealand with their least-experienced wing combination since Doug Howlett and Bruce Reihana started a Test against France in Marseilles 19 years ago.
Fiji-born Reece, 22, was the brightest light in Super Rugby this year, thrilling with his electric running on the way to a competition-high 15 tries in his rookie season for the champion Crusaders. His first and only Test was against Argentina last month.
Crusaders teammate Bridge’s three caps have all come off the bench, including two tries on debut against Japan last year.
“We’ve got two young, exciting wingers that we need to see play,” Hansen said.
“While Rico and Bender (Smith) are world-class players, we think these boys are capable of being world class players too.
“They’re very confident men, they believe in themselves. They’ve come off a really good season with the Crusaders in good form.”
Hansen has persisted with two other key out-of-position changes introduced this year, again naming Beauden Barrett at fullback and Ardie Savea on the blindside flank.
He has urged more commitment if they’re to deny Australia the Cup for a 17th straight year.
“We’ve got to put them under pressure and take away the confidence they’ve got from playing the way they did last week,” Hansen said.
“There’s a lot of pride in the team. We’ve spoken a lot about the Bledisloe being the second most important trophy and now we get the opportunity to show that.”
All Blacks team for Bledisloe 2
1. Joe Moody, 2. Dane Coles, 3. Nepo Laulala, 4. Patrick Tuipulotu, 5. Samuel Whitelock, 6. Ardie Savea, 7. Sam Cane, 8. Kieran Read – captain, 9. Aaron Smith, 10. Richie Mo’unga, 11. George Bridge, 12. Sonny Bill Williams, 13. Anton Lienert-Brown, 14. Sevu Reece, 15. Beauden Barrett. Reserves: 16. Codie Taylor, 17. Ofa Tuungafasi, 18. Angus Ta’avao, 19. Jackson Hemopo, 20. Matt Todd, 21. TJ Perenara, 22. Ngani Laumape, 23. Jordie Barrett
PJ
Guest
15 vs 14 that was one story 15 vs 15 will be another... DON'T COUNT YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY HATCH...
ChrisG
Roar Rookie
So it all comes down to the (imagined) form of the five eight then. Forwards and other backs have nothing to do with it? Who do you blame for the Hurricanes failings in the last 3 years?
taylorman
Roar Guru
Wayne Smith had better cattle. Wayne Smith had McCaw, DC, Reado, Nonu, Smith, Barrett, bender all at their best. Your point being?
Suzy Poison
Guest
Taylorman, Hanson is way better selector than me obviously, but he is chopping and changing a few weeks out from the World Cup. It's smacks of desperation. Since Wayne Smith left the coaching set up, things look a weird in AB land to me.
Suzy Poison
Guest
Jacko with all due respect to AB's who have been the most dominant team on the planet for a long long time, the AB's past results are showing some cracks. And it's not just the the last game, it's the England game (a lucky win), the Ireland game ( a loss) , the Argentina game( a lucky win), the Bok game (a draw) and the Wallaby game (biggest loss against a Wallaby team ever). And yes I am not sure that Hanson knows who his best team is. This this pretty much the same team that played against Argentina and were (by AB standards) poor. Hanson is saying we were in the same position as this in 2015, but he had some legend players in that 2015 team. He knew who his centre pairing was. Nonu and Conrad Smith. He knew who his 10 was, Dan Carter and he had McCaw, Reid and a very underrated player called Jerome Kaino playing blindside, as a loose trio. The 2019 AB team is nowhere nearly as settled. This AB team is experimenting with two opensiders, a new centre pair each game, and weird combo of a Super level number 10, Richie Mounga who is a better goal kicker and a brilliant ten Barrett who can't kick for poles playing out of position at 15. So No, I don't believe that Hanson knows who his best team is, and yes maybe cos they have less talent, the Wallabies are better selected. Wallabies by 5 tomorrow. Now I know you don't like it, but I predicted last weekend results. I said the Wallabies by one point, and I reckon if there was no red card, that would have happened. the 2019 All Blacks are a shadow of the 2015 team, in my not so humble opinion.
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
My understanding of the phrase "hospital pass" is obviously different to your's. A hospital pass is when one receives a pass and is virtually swamped by a defender as it is received. Goodhue received the pass and then run approximately 15 metres before being confronted by a defender.
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Not sure about that given he has just come back from a hamstring..
Bill Shut
Roar Rookie
Well, a broken clock is correct twice every day. So eventually, the people who say that Australia will win at Eden Park will eventually be right one day - eventually.
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Nope, none of those snivelling french refs to contend with..
taylorman
Roar Guru
I think England were favourite but wouldn’t surprise if not. They weren’t exactly slaying the SH sides at the time so it was all a bit open, as it looks now I guess. SA weren’t too strong at that time.
Offside
Roar Rookie
I've mentioned it because it is used by others as an example of Mounga's success. However, the truth be told, it was another one of his hospital passes. Regardless of what you say, the video evidence is there. Go have another look since you have obviously forgotten. Or were watching a different game.
Offside
Roar Rookie
It was a hospital pass like most of his passes were. He was swamped, panicked and threw a pass to anything.
sheek
Roar Guru
Offside, Apologies for the double response. In my haste to do other things, I failed to notice both responses had gone to the uber-sensitive moderators, as will probably this response. I cannot for the life of me figure what caused a 'red' flag, although maybe just my name has alarm bells going off everywhere!
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
This Mounga to Goodhue pass. I think you've mentioned this 3 times now. Your description of it is nothing like what actually happened.
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
Yes it is bold. I thought maybe they might bring in one of Bridge or Reece but not both.
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
Hospital pass? Come on let's not call it something it wasn't.
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
Yeah injuries tend to throw a spanner in the works of even the best laid plans. I'd be surprised if Hansen and Henry didn't agree with me. ;)
taylorman
Roar Guru
I'm not a big SBW fan either and would rather have Nonu there but that aint gonna happen unless Hansen does a massive turnaround. I'm looking solely at the knockouts and SBW has big game experience in both rugby and League. Hes also a crash merchant in the midfield where only Goodhue has that, sparsely so at this level. None of the other backs do other than Smith and Barrett. None has been talked of as worlds best- Crotty, Goodhue, ALB- who of them all at least had a fantastic 2016. Too many are confusing Super rugby with World cup knockouts where experience is king. SBW has gone away to get minutes and even though its at Mitre 10 its not he that lacks the big game presence. I get what you are saying, I just don't want our knockout midfield to be based on the rave of a Super XV side and little else. There is no comparison.
One Eye
Roar Rookie
I'm not sure Crotty and Goodhue have ever started a test together have they? You're not wrong about Smith/Nonu, but they were established for years prior as well, something we don't have the luxury of this time around. I wouldn't mind ALB there, he was at 12 in U20 to Goodhue at 13 so they have played and Goodhue looked a lot better than with SBW in the match against SA.
taylorman
Roar Guru
I don't see the Crotty / Goodhue pairing in that light. Those pairs were around for years before they got near being a top pairing at the AB level where Goodhue is relatively new, nor has that pair set the world alight at test level, something the other pairs did with regularity. Smith and Nonu went into 2015 as the dead set number one pair, and played like it. Crotty and Goodhue have no such reputation, at all. ALB has been the stronger of the three IMO this year so has to start somewhere. Crotty/ Goodhue is ok, but its certainly not more convincing than any other of three or four pairings I can name.