Barrett brothers to start for All Blacks in second Bledisloe

All Blacks selectors Ian Foster, Joe Schmidt and Jason Ryan have announced the match-day 23 for this week’s Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship Test against Australia at Eden Park in Auckland.

Injuries have forced changes to the All Blacks team that defeated Australia in Melbourne, with captain Sam Cane, Scott Barrett, David Havili and Quinn Tupaea unavailable for selection this week.

Sam Whitelock will lead a side which has welcomed No.8 Ardie Savea back from parental leave. He will take his place in a loose forward trio featuring Dalton Papali’i at openside flanker and Akira Ioane on the blindside.

With Havili and Tupaea out of the midfield selection frame, the All Blacks have retained a key combination that finished the Bledisloe Cup Test in Melbourne. Jordie Barrett will play second-five eighths while brother Beauden will stay at fullback.

The front row sees experienced hooker Codie Taylor selected in the run-on side while Samisoni Taukei’aho will provide cover, alongside props Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Nepo Laulala.

Lock Tupou Vaa’i, midfielder Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and outside back Sevu Reece are the other new faces added to the reserves.

“This year’s Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship is so tightly contested and our group is continuing to make shifts to improve,” said All Blacks head coach Ian Foster. “We are determined to finish the tournament strongly and we know that Australia will throw everything at us. This is what Test match rugby is all about and we can’t wait.

“Saturday’s sold-out double-header at Eden Park is special for our two national teams. We are right in behind the Black Ferns as they take on Japan and we all wish them well.”

All Blacks match-day 23 (Test caps in brackets):

1.Ethan de Groot (9)
2.Codie Taylor (71)
3.Tyrel Lomax (19)
4.Brodie Retallick (97)
5.Samuel Whitelock (139)
6.Akira Ioane (18)
7.Dalton Papali’i (17)
8.Ardie Savea (66)
9.Aaron Smith (110)
10.Richie Mo’unga (40)
11.Caleb Clarke (10)
12. Jordie Barrett (44)
13.Rieko Ioane (55)
14.Will Jordan (20)
15. Beauden Barrett (108)

Reserves
16. Samisoni Taukei’aho (16)
17.Ofa Tu’ungafasi (47)
18.Nepo Laulala (41)
19.Tupou Vaa’i (14)
20.Hoskins Sotutu (11)
21.Finlay Christie (11)
22.Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (1)
23.Sevu Reece (20)