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The All Blacks have made 14 changes from the team that beat Italy for Sunday’s Test agaionst Ireland, with Beauden Barrett reclaiming the No.10 jersey and a new midfield pairing.
Coach Ian Foster recalled the forward pack that performed against Wales and linked Anton Lienert-Brown with Rieko Ioane in the centres for the first time this season.
The pair have been fighting each other for the No.13 jersey but David Havili has lost the No.12.
Barrett will play alongside TJ Perenara, holding off the challenge from early season incumbent Richie Mo’unga, who is on the bench.
“That’s the way we finished the Welsh game, with Anton moving in, Rieko moving to centre and Sevu on the wing. It’s a little bit of a reward for that combination,” Foster said of the midfield selections.
“We’ve been able to use this series of games and the time together to try different things and thought a little change there would be good for us. We’re also pretty excited at the impact that Finlay, David and Richie will have off the bench.”
Foster added: “We’ve had a great week here in Dublin. We travelled well from Italy and are back into our more traditional routine of hitting a town and then moving onto the next one. The weather has been great here and we’ve enjoyed training in those conditions and getting ready for what will be a massive occasion on Saturday.
“We obviously have objectives we want to get out of each training session and we feel we have done that well. The guys are focussed and we achieved what we wanted to achieve.
“We’ve watched Ireland’s development this year with interest, particularly through the latter part of the Six Nations and last week’s big win over Japan. They are certainly playing with confidence and ambition and represent a formidable challenge.
“We have no doubt what Saturday is going to bring at a full Aviva Stadium. It’s a big occasion, rugby is back to Dublin in terms of full grandstands, so we know what it’s going to mean here, and we want that kind of stage. It’s big and it’s exciting and is what motivates this team.”
All Blacks team
1. Joe Moody (55)
2. Codie Taylor (65)
3. Nepo Laulala (38)
4. Brodie Retallick (90)
5. Samuel Whitelock (130) – captain
6. Ethan Blackadder (8)
7. Dalton Papalii (11)
8. Ardie Savea (57)
9. TJ Perenara (77)
10. Beauden Barrett (100)
11. Sevu Reece (16)
12. Anton Lienert-Brown (55)
13. Rieko Ioane (45)
14. Will Jordan (11)
15. Jordie Barrett (34)
Replacements
16. Dane Coles (78)
17. Karl Tu’inukuafe (24)
18. Tyrel Lomax (13)
19. Tupou Vaa’i (10)
20. Akira Ioane (11)
21. Finlay Christie (5)
22. Richie Mo’unga (30)
23. David Havili (13)
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