NEW ZEALAND BOSS Ian Foster has included wing Leicester Fainga’anuku in his team to face Ireland in the World Cup quarter-final on Saturday night in Paris [KO 8pm, Virgin Media].
Toulon-bound wing Fainga’anuku starts ahead of Mark Telea, who scored two tries in the Kiwis’ opening game of the World Cup against France, but has not been left out of the matchday 23 to take on Ireland.
Foster has confirmed that Telea wasn’t picked for disciplinary reasons, having breached a team protocol.
Tighthead prop Tyrel Lomax is fit to start the quarter-final after a knee worry, while loosehead prop Ethan de Groot returns from suspension.
Foster has opted for the greater experience of Finlay Christie over the form of Cam Roigard in the All Blacks’ back-up scrum-half spot, while 23-year-old Tamaiti Williams is named as the replacement loosehead ahead of the experienced Ofa Tu’ungafasi.
The Kiwi backline is full of pace and power in the likes of Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, and Beauden Barrett, while the wily Aaron Smith and Richie Mo’unga will steer the ship from the halfback slots.
The New Zealand forward pack includes some highly experienced campaigners like captain Sam Cane, Codie Taylor, Brodie Retallick, and the talismanic number eight Ardie Savea.
New Zealand (v Ireland):
- 15. Beauden Barrett
- 14. Will Jordan
- 13. Rieko Ioane
- 12. Jordie Barrett
- 11. Leicester Fainga’anuku
- 10. Richie Mo’unga
- 9. Aaron Smith
- 1. Ethan de Groot
- 2. Codie Taylor
- 3. Tyrel Lomax
- 4. Brodie Retallick
- 5. Scott Barrett
- 6. Shannon Frizell
- 7. Sam Cane (captain)
- 8. Ardie Savea
Replacements:
- 16. Dane Coles
- 17. Tamaiti Williams
- 18. Fletcher Newell
- 19. Samuel Whitelock
- 20. Dalton Papali’i
- 21. Finlay Christie
- 22. Damian McKenzie
- 23. Anton Lienert-Brown