All Blacks forced to make late change
TEAM UPDATE: New Zealand was forced into making a late change ahead of the second Test against France.
Caleb Clarke’s All Blacks recall has been delayed after the team announced Friday he had suffered an ankle injury and wouldn’t play the second Test against France.
In a statement, the All Blacks said Clarke was injured during Thursday’s training run, ruling him out of Saturday’s match in Wellington.
He will miss the rest of the July series.
Chiefs wing Emoni Narawa was initially named in the All Blacks squad as injury cover, and will come into the starting side on the right wing.
Rieko Ioane will move to the left, where he played in the 31-27 win in Dunedin last week.
The late shift comes as captain Scott Barrett and wing Sevu Reece also sit out through injury.
Stand-in skipper Ardie Savea, speaking at the end of a rain-soaked captain’s run in Wellington, said Clarke’s injury was “really unfortunate”.
“He’d been training well all week, and [it was] just a freak accident.
“[Narawa] just stepped in and he’s flawlessly doing his job. When you’re in the All Blacks, if someone goes down, you have to be ready to step up.”
New Zealand – revised: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Ardie Savea (captain), 6 Tupou Vaa’i, 5 Fabian Holland, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot.
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Ollie Norris, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Samipeni Finau, 20 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Timoci Tavatavanawai, 23 Damian McKenzie.
Date: Saturday, July 12
Venue: Wellington Regional Stadium
Kick-off: 19.05 (09.05 French time; 07.05 GMT)
Referee: Christophe Ridley (France)
Assistant referees: Nic Berry (Australia), Takehito Namekawa (Japan)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Australia)
