LEINSTER-BOUND JORDIE Barrett is back for the All Blacks as head coach Scott Robertson recalled several senior players to play England at Twickenham on Saturday.
The game comes six days before New Zealand face Ireland at the Aviva Stadium.
Only four of the starting 15 that featured in last week’s 64-19 thrashing of Japan in Yokohama were retained in the starting line-up, with Wallace Sititi moving from No 8 to blindside flanker.
Eyes on Twickenham 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/9hGGEIG2wh
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) October 31, 2024
All Blacks captain Scott Barrett, who was not even in the matchday 23 in Yokohama, was recalled at lock with Patrick Tuipulotu, the captain against Japan, relegated to the bench for Saturday’s match.
Elsewhere in the forwards, former skipper Sam Cane remains at openside flanker and 2023 world player of the year Ardie Savea comes in at No 8.
Tamaiti Williams will start again at loosehead prop and will be joined by Tyrel Lomax and Codie Taylor in the front row.
In the backs, Beauden Barrett starts at fly-half with brother Jordie at inside centre, while Damian McKenzie drops to the bench.
Mark Tele’a and Caleb Clarke will be on the wings, while Rieko Ioane starts at centre and Will Jordan at full-back.
Bringing the heat 🔥
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) October 29, 2024
Head coach Steve Borthwick has named his match day squad to face New Zealand at @allianz_stad this weekend in our opening Test of the @autumnnations series 🌹@O2 | #WearTheRose pic.twitter.com/RT7TABrpwj
The All Blacks twice defeated England when the teams last met in New Zealand in July, thanks to narrow 16-15 and 24-17 wins.
“While we have met England twice this year already, four months is a long time in rugby and we know that both teams are different to the ones that met in New Zealand in July,” said Robertson.
New Zealand:
15. Will Jordan
14. Mark Tele’a
13. Rieko Ioane
12. Jordie Barrett
11. Caleb Clarke
10. Beauden Barrett
9. Cortez Ratima
1. Tamaiti Williams
2. Codie Taylor
3. Tyrel Lomax
4. Scott Barrett (capt)
5. Tupou Vaa’i
6. Wallace Sititi
7. Sam Cane
8. Ardie Savea
Replacements:
16. Asafo Aumua
17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi
18. Pasilio Tosi
19. Patrick Tuipulotu
20. Samipeni Finau
21. Cam Roigard
22. Anton Lienert-Brown
23. Damian McKenzie
Class backline however am not an R. Ioane fan , should have started with ALB at 13. Roigard is on the bench so understandably not getting a start as he’s just back from injury but he is the no 1 SH for NZ since Aaron smith. The pack is more the focus for NZ , strong front row , taimati williams and Cody Taylor were outstanding the R championship ..very strong backrow (satiti excellent newby)…overall a strong side but like the championship they dont have much depth off the bench so if England can go toe to toe with them for 60 min, they should be in with a good shout…(If)
@Stuart: couldn’t agree more with ioane at 13. Always thought he was a winger playing 13. All blacks have history of putting players outta position to 13, Cullen and Leon Macdonald come to mind in world cups
@Stuart: Proctor at 13, Barrett or ALB at 12. Ioane should be on the wing or not in the 23.
Would ye put the kick off time in the articles, pretty please? It’s all this app/news agency is missing.
@James Jackson: Totally agree but the article is from the AFP and not “The42”. KO is 15:10 Irish time.
Close to call. Slade lack of game time and 6 2 bench with ford covering outside backs could b massive mistake. Abs by 10
@Gary Galligan: hope you are wrong…saw a seriously poor unsporting side to their character when they beat us in the last world cup…horribly ungracious in victory…would love to see England trounce them as a result….England are the opposite…always gracious in defeat or victory
@Seamus kelly: there was a preamble to that .O Mahoney v Cane where graciousnesse was lacking too. Two sides to the story if we are to be fully objective.
@JJB: it’s all in sextons book , the nitty gritty dirt on those bloody Allblacks swin&£s ..
@JJB: I hear this a lot about O’Mahoney but I can’t understand how it’s completely ignored that POM was reacting to initial comments and sledging from the all blacks including Cain at that time.
@JJB: cane/pom was IN-GAME …ioane was after the game…in rugby it stope when the game ends even for the so-called no d*сkнeads
@Patrick Kennedy: the “humble hero’s” as they also refer to themselves as
Should be a good game, I think England may just edge this one