100 up for Beauden Barrett as All Blacks name side

Planet Rugby

Beauden Barrett will earn his 100th cap for his country when New Zealand face Wales in their Autumn Nations Series opener in Cardiff on Saturday.

Barrett will be playing his eighth Test against the Welsh in a fine career which began back in 2012 and he becomes the All Blacks’ 11th Test centurion.

In the starting backline, scrum-half TJ Perenara will start alongside Barrett, with David Havili at 12 and centre Anton Lienert-Brown their midfield.

Jordie Barrett is full-back

Rieko Ioane and Will Jordan are on the wings and Jordie Barrett is at full-back, with Brad Weber, Richie Mo’unga and Sevu Reece on the bench.

“It’s a very special time for Beauden and his family and it’s also a special time for this team and its legacy,” said All Blacks head coach Ian Foster.

“He’s a big part of this team, he’s a key leader, he’s captained the All Blacks, he’s vice captain on this tour and he’s an influencer on and off the park.

“I can’t speak more highly about his contribution as a person to the black jersey. The chance to play his 100th Test at this stadium against Wales is really special.”

In the forward pack, the experienced front-row of props Joe Moody and Nepo Laulala and hooker Codie Taylor are back, after last running out in the second Test against South Africa earlier this month, while the starting locks of Brodie Retallick, in his 90th Test, and 128-Test All Blacks captain Samuel Whitelock bring huge international experience.

Ethan Blackadder gets the nod at blindside flanker in his fourth Test start, Dalton Papalii is again at seven, while Ardie Savea returns in the number eight jersey. The forward replacements are hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho, props Karl Tu’inukuafe and Tyrel Lomax, lock Tupou Vaa’i and loose forward Akira Ioane.

Foster continued: “It’s exciting to be back here in the North, albeit in very different circumstances. The All Blacks have always loved touring North, these Test matches are a big part of our history as a rugby team and it’s been three years since we played in Europe, so there’s a real sense of excitement. What a better place to start than at a packed-out stadium here in Cardiff.”

New Zealand: 15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 David Havili, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Dalton Papalii, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 5 Samuel Whitelock (c), 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Karl Tu’inukuafe, 18 Tyrel Lomax, 19 Tupou Vaa’i, 20 Akira Ioane, 21 Brad Weber, 22 Richie Mo’unga, 23 Sevu Reece

Date: Saturday, October 30
Venue: Principality Stadium
Kick-off: 17:15 BST (16:15 GMT)
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (England), Christophe Ridley (England)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)

 

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Wales’ 23 to be blown away

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