THE ALL BLACKS have included uncapped flanker Du’Plessis Kirifi and prop George Bower in their travelling squad for the Tri Nations in Australia.
23-year-old Hurricanes back row Kirifi has been called up as cover for Ardie Savea, who is on paternity leave.
28-year-old Bower has been brought in as cover for Nepo Laulala, who is also on paternity leave, and Joe Moody, who is going through head injury assessment protocols.
Kirifi and Bower will be part of a 36-man All Blacks squad that travels to Australia on Sunday, with Savea and Laulala “expected to join the squad in the following week or two.”
The squad also includes uncapped lock Mitchell Dunshea and centre Peter Umaga-Jensen, who made his debut last weekend off the bench in the Bledisloe Cup clash with Australia in Auckland. That pair had previously been called up as cover along with powerful midfielder Ngani Laumape.
With South Africa having dropped out of the Rugby Championship for this year, the Tri Nations will get underway on 31 October with the Wallabies facing Ian Foster’s All Blacks in Sydney.
Those sides meet again in Brisbane the following week before Argentina’s involvement gets underway with a clash against the Kiwis on 14 November. The six-game competition concludes with the Australia v Argentina on 5 December in Sydney.
All Blacks squad for Tri Nations:
Hookers: Asafo Aumua, Dane Coles, Codie Taylor
Props: George Bower, Alex Hodgman, Nepo Laulala, Tyrel Lomax, Joe Moody, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Ofa Tuungafasi
Locks: Scott Barrett, Mitchell Dunshea, Patrick Tuipulotu, Tupou Vaa’i, Sam Whitelock
Back rows: Sam Cane, Shannon Frizell, Cullen Grace, Akira Ioane, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Dalton Papalii, Ardie Savea, Hoskins Sotutu
Scrum-halves: TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith, Brad Weber
Out-halves: Beauden Barrett, Richie Mo’unga
Centres: Jack Goodhue, Rieko Ioane, Ngani Laumape, Anton Lienert-Brown, Peter Umaga-Jensen
Back threes: Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Will Jordan, Damian McKenzie, Sevu Reece.
