Still no Beauden Barrett as All Blacks change four for Ireland clash
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Decorated flyhalf Beauden Barrett was once again omitted as New Zealand announced four starting changes on Thursday for the Nations Championship Test against Ireland in Auckland.
Coach Dave Rennie once again preferred the inexperienced Ruben Love in the No.10 jersey for Saturday’s match at Eden Park, leaving 144-Test veteran Barrett out completely for the third successive match.
The 35-year-old Barrett, one of the team’s most high-profile performers for more than a decade, is one of just three players who have gone unused in Rennie’s first 34-man squad.
There are two changes to the forward pack who started last week’s 47-17 win over Italy and one key positional switch, with Tupou Vaa’i shifting to blindside flanker.
The 26-year-old played a handful of Tests under Rennie’s predecessor Scott Robertson to give the team extra size.
Flanker Wallace Sititi is omitted, while other changes up front see the introduction of Josh Lord and Patrick Tuipulotu at lock, with Sam Darry making way.
In the backline, centre Billy Proctor and wing Leroy Carter are dropped, replaced by Quinn Tupaea and Josh Moorby, respectively. It will be the first Test start for in-form Hurricanes flyer Moorby.
Rennie is anticipating a major challenge from Ireland, with both teams having won both their opening matches in the inaugural inter-hemisphere Nations Championship.
“Ireland have been one of the best sides in the world for a number of years now. They are very experienced and well-coached and will have belief on the back of their recent success here,” Rennie said.
“We have selected a strong team that allows some of the combinations we have tested to continue building and rewards players who have impressed over the last two rounds.”
The Test is New Zealand’s last before they embark on the “Greatest Rivalry” four-Test tour to South Africa, the world champions.
New Zealand: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Quinn Tupaea, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Josh Moorby, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Ardie Savea (captain), 7 Luke Jacobson, 6 Tupou Vaa’i, 5 Patrick Tuipulotu, 4 Josh Lord, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot.
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Anton Segner, 20 Peter Lakai, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Caleb Clarke.
Date: Saturday, July 18
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 19.10 (08.10 IST; 07.10 GMT)
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
Assistant referees: Luc Ramos (France), Damon Murphy (Australia)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
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