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)
IrelandsCall
Roar Rookie
Irishman walks into bar - lights up a cigar and buys all the Kiwis a drink! Great game lads!
IrelandsCall
Roar Rookie
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Nick
Roar Rookie
Agree re Pocock & Hooper. I see what you're saying with Savea but I'm just a bigger fan of his @ 7. My ideal backrow would be Blackadder or Frizell @ 6 LJs form demanding to be @ 8 & Savea @ 7. I think Akira coming off the bench to run @ tired D can be a powerful weapon if he doesn't shirk the tight responsibilities. Then Canes coming back to the fold. I've never been a massive fan of his, but I thought he was outstanding last year. Head & shoulders better than our other loosies. Capt seemed to motivate him.
WEST
Roar Guru
Irish seem pretty confident.. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hZWYCptBSGo Andy Farrell press conference | Ireland v New Zealand https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ALKTFtNNiJ4 Foster in Dublin. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ldjvW7zHhY0
Marshy
Guest
“It’s shifting bodies.” Precisely. Getting that going builds the platform. Shifting bodies indeed. We need undertakers.
MW7
Roar Rookie
Unless they are down to 4 fit props (a bit like Aust & Eng), do you think he may have also go the nod to give him experience in big away games?
MW7
Roar Rookie
If ABs don't win by 20+ it will be a shock.
WEST
Roar Guru
How's She Cuttin Irish'? I believe this is a true story… One night, Mrs McMillen answers the door to see her husband’s best friend, Paddy, standing on the doorstep. Hello Paddy, where is my husband? He went with you to the beer factory.” Paddy shakes his head. “Ah, Mrs McMillen, there was a terrible accident at the beer factory, your husband fell into a vat of Guinness and drowned.” Mrs McMillen starts crying. “Oh don’t tell me that, did he at least go quickly?” Paddy shakes his head. “Not really – he got out three times to pee!” Good Luck Irish, Always remember to forget :stoked:
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Well if that's the case with Ennor, why was he still with the squad? Make one wonder about how good this coach & his selectors are!! Re Tana, yeh well he did talk about that when we meet him, with Radike Samo, in a Wanchai bar prior to the HK Seven's. This was before he took over the reigns coaching the Blue's. He was there as coach for a selected international 12's team, competing in a tournament prior to the Seven's kicking off. Actually he & his team won that tournament. But yeh he was on the wing, for a very limited time, before moving into the midfield. But one of the big things with Reiko, is his awareness. Compare him to Jordan, who when he gets the ball, he's always looking around for support, being aware of a possible break down, & in many occasions, his passes are excellent. No mate, IMO, Reiko has still a lot to learn in the midfield, & a lot of his learning should come from both Foster & McDonald.
WEST
Roar Guru
I get what you’re saying OB.. But if we’re getting dominated at every ruck, every tackle.. we go backwards. As you said, makes for a very long day indeed! What I’m saying is, we need to be far more physical in the contact area, push back. Our forwards need to not just work harder but smarter, since The Franks bros left, or 2015 we’ve struggled to find good forwards. It’s not just about throwing your weight around. It’s shifting bodies, it’s getting to every breakdown asap. Getting back on your feet and getting into formation either on attack or restructuring the defence. It’s not rocket science. Slowing their Ball retention down, while making our Ball recycling faster. A few times, we’re on the receiving end of a pack doing onto us what we should be doing onto them.. Hence, being dominated.
Old Bugger
Roar Rookie
The ABs forward tactics IMO, has never been about domination - simply, its been about winning your own ball and letting the opposition, kick away their ball. If we can achieve 50/50 possession in the set piece, then IMO, where we have dominated, is pressuring the opposition to do something, with their possession. To do so means we have to get physical in the ruck but again, this doesn't mean we dominate. It is just a part of the overall scheme - never show you're going backwards and always aim, to go forward. You rely on the pack to set that foundation in the ruck and count on the fact that they, can also win their own ball. If not, then it becomes a bloody long day, in the office.
Old Bugger
Roar Rookie
Muzz We've seen enough of Tupou - what we need to see is more of De Groot. It aint happening this year so next year, we will wait and see....
Jacko
Roar Rookie
:laughing: :laughing: Ive met some great Irishmen by having them walk into a pub full of Kiwi's :silly: I travelled around NZ during the 2011 WC and met guys from all sorts of places. I had a absolutely brilliant rugby filled 6 weeks
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Ennor had his apendix out in mid july I think Muzzo and took time to come back from that. Then he had a hammy problem. Not a big issue but a bit like ALB. Haha wasnt Tana a Winger not a centre??? :laughing: I like his potential at 13 but happy to say its not fullfilled as yet. The big issue is he wont learn how to be a 13 when on the wing so he needs time there even if its at SR level again next season.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Not IMO he did mate.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Agree with the QT assessment Jacko, but disagree with Ennor on the injury issue. Like when he was selected earlier in the year, he was free of injury, & had played afew games for the Saders at seasons end. Why this Foster has only given him one start, has got me f@#%* d, along with one run off the bench. Talk about player development. I'm no fan of Reiko in the midfield, as he make too many errors, IMO. He's a winger mate, not a midfielder.
Renzeau
Roar Rookie
Hooper and Pocock have different skill sets. Both were not ball carries and Pocock was in every ruck. Savea more rounded player plus it is more of a combination of all three lossies. Plus we need experience on the field. The real question is what happens next year with Cane and Frizell returning ? You raise a good point with LJ and Akira. I think we need to keep developing Akira against these defensive teams. Hed did go missing against the Boks and probably gone away and worked on it he has a chance this week.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
I reckon de Groot would outprop Tupou, as he, Tupou, is developing a lot more boring in, in his game. Watch him next time out OB, as I reckon he's becoming far more notorious, in that practice. Yeh I know Tupou did go through the NZ system as a youngster.
WEST
Roar Guru
Akira Ioane has to be counted for, he needs to prove himself in tight, tough contests as well. It’s not always going to be open pastures in front of him.. I thought Jacobson might of got in as well. Guess we’ll see.. Akira gets another opportunity
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Ok OB, no worries