All Black team to face France without a Barrett
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: All Black coach Ian Foster picked a star studded side for their World Cup opener against hosts France at Stade de France on Friday.
Captain Sam Cane will lead the side out in front of 80,000 fans at Stade de France in Paris, while a record-breaking audience is expected to tune in to broadcast coverage around the world.
Around half of the All Blacks squad will celebrate their first ever World Cup appearance while others are returning for their second, third or even fourth appearance.
The match will mark an extra special occasion for prop Nepo Laulala and first-five eighths Richie Mo’unga who are both set to earn their 50th Test caps.
Anton Lienert-Brown has been named to play alongside Rieko Ioane in a midfield that has a combined 126 appearances in the Test arena.
Fellow midfielder Jordie Barrett was ruled out due to injury, joining Brodie Retallick, Emoni Narawa, Shannon Frizell and Tyrel Lomax on the list of unavailable players.
“It is a privilege to play in the opening game of World Cup 2023,” said All Blacks head coach Ian Foster.
“What makes it extra special is playing the host nation who are a very proud and in-form team.
“World Cups are different. The initial goal is to qualify for the quarterfinals and to do that we must build our game through the pool stage. That starts in game one, where we have an opportunity to compete against one of the clear tournament favourites.”
During the training week in Lyon, wing Emoni Narawa re-injured his back at the end of a field session. Scans revealed a disc issue which has ruled him out for the rest of the tournament.
He is set to leave the squad following the opening game in Paris and a decision on his replacement will be made in due course.
The teams will set a record for the most meetings between two countries at the World Cup. Friday’s match will be their eighth meeting, with their first encounter taking place in the final of the inaugural tournament in 1987.
Over nine tournaments they have played each other in one pool match (2011), two quarterfinals (2007, 2015), one semifinal (1999), one bronze final (2003) and two finals (1987, 2011).
All Blacks: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 11 Mark Telea, 10 Richie Mo’Unga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Sam Cane (captain), 6 Dalton Papalai’i, 5 Scott Barrett, 4 Samuel Whitelock, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot.
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Tupou Vaai’i, 20 Luke Jacobson, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 David Havili, 23 Leicester Fainga’anuku
Date: Friday, September 8
Venue: Stade de France,
Kick-off: 21.15 (19.15 GMT; o7.15 Saturday, September 9 New Zealand time )
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson, Christophe Ridley
TMO: Tom Foley
