Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has selected Jordan Petaia on the wing for the first Bledisloe Cup Test in Auckland, otherwise sticking firm with players who shone against France, while finding no place in his 23 for Quade Cooper.
Petaia’s first appearance in 2021 is one of two changes to an all-new back three, with Andrew Kellaway earning his first start on the wing, with Tom Banks named at fullback. The two wing changes were forced with Marika Korobiete ruled out after being one of three players who broke curfew with a drinking session that left their teammates angry.
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The Wallabies’ other winger from the third Test v France, Filipo Daugunu, suffered an injury early in that game.
The rest of the backline remains unchanged from the one that started in the deciding French Series Test win in Brisbane with Queensland number nine Tate McDermott retaining his place alongside Noah Lolesio in the halves. Jake Gordon will back up McDermott with Nic White missing out despite travelling with the squad.
Lolesio shapes up against Richie Mo’unga who was picked at No.10 over Beauden Barrett for the All Blacks.
Hunter Paisami will partner Len Ikitau in the midfield for Australia.
The run-on front row will be James Slipper, Brandon Paenga-Amosa Allan Alaalatoa with Taniela Tupou to be unleashed off the bench.
Rob Valetini and Harry Wilson return to the starting side at blindside flanker, joining Michael Hooper in the back row.
Mo’unga started at No.10 for the first Test of the campaign against Tonga before Barrett replaced him for the first of two Tests against Fiji. Mo’unga got the job again for the second Test and has retained it for this match.
The starting front row remains intact from the most recent Test with loosehead prop George Bower, hooker Codie Taylor and tighthead Nepo Laulala first choice ahead of props Karl Tu’inukuafe and Angus Ta’avao, and hooker Dane Coles.
Brodie Retallick returns to start alongside Samuel Whitelock at lock.
Ardie Savea has been named at No.8, Dalton Papalii at No.7 and Akira Ioane at No.6 with Luke Jacobson providing loose forward cover.
David Havili and Anton Lienert-Brown combine in the centres with Rieko Ioane moving to the left wing, Sevu Reece to right and Damian McKenzie at fullback, with Jordie Barrett and brother Beauden among those on the bench.
All Blacks coach Ian Foster said props Joe Moody and Ofa Tuungafasi weren’t considered for selection as they return from injuries, while the selectors will ease back Will Jordan after a hamstring strain.
“There is huge excitement in our group at what lies ahead this weekend,” Foster said.
“There is such a huge history with the Bledisloe Cup, the rivalry between the All Blacks and Australia goes back a long, long way, and it’s always a massive contest. The Cup isn’t ours; we have to go out and win it again. We can’t wait for the weekend.”
The Wallabies are set to name their team at 2.30am AEST, after delaying the announcement from 10.30am. Missing will be winger Marika Korobiete, one of three members of the squad stood down for drinking beyond curfew last weekend. All eyes will be on Dave Rennie to see if he names recently recalled Quade Cooper into the 23.
All Blacks centre Anton Lienert-Brown said he expected Australia to be feeling strong after beating France in their recent series.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
“They will be confident,” he told stuff.nz. “They won the series [against France] and played pretty well. We know they are going to be physical and they are going to want to outwork us.
“There are not a lot of things that are going to surprise us but we know they are going to be up for this game and we have got to match them physically.”
The All Blacks were less troubled in beating a weakened Tonga and Fiji twice, than Australia were in the French battle.
“They have played in close matches and the three games we played were not as close. But we have got a lot of experience in this group, and a lot of boys who have played big games and that all counts as well.”
The All Blacks are smarting from their 2020 campaign, where they only won half of their matches.
“Last year for us was not good enough,” he said. “It is not the All Blacks standards, so we want to be better and we are driven to be better. This is a massive challenge for us to start in the right way.”
Eden Park will host the opening two Tests over the next two weekends, with a change in dates due to COVID restrictions. Sky Stadium in Wellington was due to host the third Test on August 28.
The third match will now be played at Optus Stadium in Perth on that date, a week lagter than first scheduled.
All Blacks scrumhalf Aaron Smith will play his 100th Test on Saturday and said the back-to-back games at the team’s fortress, where they haven’t lost to the Wallabies since 1986 or anyone since 1994, was something they had to take advantage of.
“I’ve never had it before. We’ve got to make the most of that opportunity,” Smith told reporters.
“That puts things in our favour very well.
“But the way the Australians are playing, the way I know Dave Rennie coaches, they’re not going to worry about that. It’s a big opportunity for them to make a statement.
“Eden Park doesn’t make you play any better, but knowing that the stadium is full, knowing the history of that field, knowing the standards that Eden Park demands … it’s good pressure.”
Smith said the All Blacks were in tune after the Pasifika series
“We put in lot of hard work, built some great connections, and started building some things around our game,” Smith said.
“We got a really good test from Fiji physically which was great. It’s something we’re going to need going forward.
“We’ve had that break at home, and come in refreshed for a big couple of months. It’s still unknown how that all looks but we know we’ve got two weeks of Bledisloe rugby, and that’s bloody exciting.
“We love that cup. It’s no one’s at the moment, and we’ve got to go out and earn it. You can really tell in our preparation it’s in the back of everyone’s minds. You know it’s a big game when it’s sitting there and bubbling away.
“I love that feeling. I love getting ready for a big game, and there’s been a real edge around the boys knowing there’s a big one coming.”
Foster praised Smith ahead of his milestone appearance.
“He’s a special man, he’s achieved so much in the black jersey and has been an iconic player for us over the last decade,” Foster said. “We know it’ll be a special night for him, his wife Teagan and his family.”
Wallabies team
1. James Slipper (103 Tests)
2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa (12 Tests)
3. Allan Alaalatoa (46 Tests)
4. Darcy Swain (3 Tests)
5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (28 Tests)
6. Rob Valetini (7 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (c) (108 Tests)
8. Harry Wilson (8 Tests)
9. Tate McDermott (5 Tests)
10. Noah Lolesio (5 Tests)
11. Andrew Kellaway (2 Tests)
12. Hunter Paisami (9 Tests)
13. Len Ikitau (2 Tests)
14. Jordan Petaia (8 Tests)
15. Tom Banks (14 Tests)
Replacements
16. Jordan Uelese (13 Tests)
17. Angus Bell (6 Tests)
18. Taniela Tupou (28 Tests)
19. Matt Philip (12 Tests)
20. Fraser McReight (1 Test)
21. Jake Gordon (8 Tests)
22. Matt To’omua (57 Tests)
23. Reece Hodge (46 Tests)
All Blacks team (Tests)
1. George Bower (3)
2. Codie Taylor (58)
3. Nepo Laulala (31)
4. Brodie Retallick (83)
5. Samuel Whitelock (125) – captain
6. Akira Ioane (4)
7. Dalton Papalii (5)
8. Ardie Savea (50)
9. Aaron Smith (99)
10. Richie Mo’unga (24)
11. Rieko Ioane (37)
12. David Havili (5)
13. Anton Lienert-Brown (50)
14. Sevu Reece (10)
15. Damian McKenzie (30)
Reserves:
16. Dane Coles (76)
17. Karl Tu’inukuafe (18)
18. Angus Ta’avao (16)
19. Scott Barrett (42)
20. Luke Jacobson (5)
21. Brad Weber (9)
22. Beauden Barrett (91)
23. Jordie Barrett (25)
Kane
Roar Guru
Yup, because Hopper and Dan Carter are the same size too by your logic? Right?
numpty
Roar Rookie
I rest my case if 4kg is the most you can come up with :laughing:
Kane
Roar Guru
But he’s not is he? More than 3” and 4kgs separates them.
PapanuiPirate
Roar Pro
Wallabies scrum domination in the second half was as predicted, though I will say it was.more through Bell than Tupou. Still looked like Tupou had Big Karl well in hand after the first scrum between the pair.
numpty
Roar Rookie
How's it for rugby smarts scoring the tries he did for the WBs in the french series? Look how far he ran to support that break in game 2 to score in the corner... look at the line he ran to set up mcdermott in game 3. He also outplayed Cane the last time these teams met in bled 4. Hooper is also the same size as Cane...
numpty
Roar Rookie
funny you keep listing performances and awards won by beauden more than 2 years ago... whats he done lately? won a SR title? how about SR player of the year? How'd he go at 10 against the lowly wallabies in bled 4 last year?
numpty
Roar Rookie
wasnt beauden also on the field that day?
winston
Roar Rookie
Robinson starts at 6 for the same reason Kane always starts at 7. He’s the captain
winston
Roar Rookie
you mean this one Fiji Test 2: Akira Ioane: Will probably never shake his doubter, but he’s the best No 6 in New Zealand. Gave away two soft offside penalties that cost him a half a mark, but was otherwise physical and direct against those big Fijian forwards. 7.5 Also its good to remember that Kano didn’t hit the ground running. It took him years to own the 6 Jersey
winston
Roar Rookie
source? All I way was him pushing Fijians back in every time he hit the contact area. Why the high rating them?. Surely you can see the difference at the breakdown between Game 1 and 2 against Fiji.
Highlander
Roar Guru
RM has not started 23 games in the 10 shirt that includes games from the bench
The Yabbie
Roar Rookie
Bugger off, maybe they called something begging with 'B' and ending in OFF?
The Yabbie
Roar Rookie
whoo touchy touchy Old bugger. What did they call you before you became old? I'm just saying it's pretty impressive to have a guy like BB on the bench. I have no idea and no inside info geeez
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
The big difference, is the fitness level, at Seven's, & Titch, was a coach that enforced it. That's the difference. Your opinion of McDonald differs from mine, as is yours of Tana Umaga. Well at least Tana has had something that McDonald, has never done as a coach. Success at international level. Even though it was a combined international team. Tana is a very good team man, as he's actually proved, not only as a player, but a coach also, as I've seen personally, in how he mingles & speaks with his charges.
Fox
Roar Guru
Gordon Titchjen is an excellent 7’s coach and I agree he got the best out of Akira but he was younger, hungrier, and 7’s to be fair is different game tactically with yards more space. He even said he lost some of his hunger for the game. It happens to players in all sports as you would know Muzzo. I think the issue with Tana is he was a good individual coach for players but he was not a great team tactician but McDonald is the opposite and why I think Tana is still there and they did only miss out on the NZ Conference final on points difference and won the combined title so McDonald knows what he is doing as this is the Blues best season in decades. Intertesing question you pose at the end…I wonder how long they will sideline Frizell because judging by some of the comments ( reading between the lines a bit as well) The AB’s coaches are not impressed . I mean hitting a girl ( as is alleged by witnesses) and especially in todays social climate is just not a good look for the jumper. . We shall see. Not Frizell’s smartest career move just before the Rugby Championship.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
To say Fox, that it's something he could never do in the past, is not quite correct, as he did under Gordon Titchjen's display his talents to the fore, whilst in the Seven's program. The first time i laid eyes on him was in HK, & he did look very good with his skill set, speed & physicality. I did see him at other venues as well, whilst in Seven's. The thing that turned me off was McDonalds inability to get him back to where he was, as the Blue's former international coach Tana, was on the right track, before McDonald took over. But time will tell, if he has the 'goods' to keep Frizell, out should he return.
Highlander
Roar Guru
Last game he had under 15 total involvements That’s right at the awful end of the scale
winston
Roar Rookie
It’s how they play in black that matters.
Highlander
Roar Guru
How about his last one -
Highlander
Roar Guru
Go and have a look at them hed to head in dunedin, frizzell absolutely dominate him, wasn’t even close