All Blacks ring the changes for Argentina

David Skippers
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New Zealand's Joe Moody holds off Wales' Hallam Amos to scores his sides first try during the 2019 Rugby World Cup bronze final match at Tokyo Stadium. PA Photo. Picture date: Friday November 1, 2019. See PA story RUGBYU Wales. Photo credit should read: David Davies/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Editorial use only. Strictly no commercial use or association. Still image use only. Use implies acceptance of RWC 2019 T&Cs (in particular Section 5 of RWC 2019 T&Cs) at URL: bit.ly/2knOId6

All Blacks head coach Ian Foster has recalled several of his first-choice players for their Test against Argentina in Sydney on Saturday.

The matchday 23 pack features the return of veteran prop Joe Moody, who missed the last two Tests through HIA (head injury assessment) protocols. He will pack down alongside Dane Coles and Tyrel Lomax. Hooker Codie Taylor is on the replacements bench alongside Alex Hodgman and Nepo Laulala, who has returned from parental leave.

Patrick Tuipulotu, who missed the Brisbane Test with illness, has been named in the second-row alongside Samuel Whitelock, with Tupou Vaa’i covering from the bench. The back-row sees Shannon Frizell packing down at six, captain Sam Cane is in the seven jersey and Ardie Savea starts at number eight, with Hoskins Sotutu loose forward cover.

Richie Mo’unga is fly-half

In the backs, Aaron Smith has been selected in the nine jersey, with Brad Weber on the bench as scrum-half cover, Richie Mo’unga is at fly-half, with Jack Goodhue and Anton Lienert-Brown the midfield combination.

Caleb Clarke returns on the left wing, Jordie Barrett moves to the right flank from full-back and Beauden Barrett will wear the number 15 jersey after starting at fly-half in last weekend’s defeat to Australia in Brisbane. Rieko Ioane and Damian McKenzie are the other reserve backs.

Foster said: “We were bitterly disappointed with the loss against Australia on the weekend, but we’ve taken a lot of lessons from that game. Specifically, we need to be smarter in seeing space and executing our plan around that. We also want to continue growing our work at the breakdown, both on attack and in defence, as I feel we are making great progress here.

“We’re now into the next phase of the Tournament playing against Argentina and it will be exciting playing a new opposition.

“The Argentinians are well coached by Mario Ledesma and we have a lot of respect for them. You only need to go back to Buenos Aires last year, when we had a real arm wrestle with them, to know how tough they can be (the All Blacks narrowly won 20-16).

“They’ve been in Australia for a number of weeks, they are well-prepared and this is their first Test of 2020 so it’ll be a massive occasion for them and their country so we have to be ready.”

New Zealand: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Jordie Barrett, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Jack Goodhue, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Sam Cane (c), 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Joe Moody
Replacements: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Alex Hodgman, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Tupou Vaa’i, 20 Hoskins Sotutu, 21 Brad Weber, 22 Rieko Ioane, 23 Damian McKenzie

Date: Saturday, November 14
Venue: Bankwest Stadium, Sydney
Kick-off: 17:10 local (06:10 GMT)
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referees: Nic Berry (Australia), Paul Williams (New Zealand)
TMO: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)

 

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