Dave Rennie has again overlooked veteran flyhalf Beauden Barrett after naming his All Blacks team to face Ireland in Auckland on Saturday.
The 144-Test playmaker has now been omitted from New Zealand’s match 23 for all three Tests under Rennie, with the All Blacks coach continuing to back Ruben Love in the No 10 jersey.
Barrett, one of New Zealand’s greatest players of the professional era, is one of only three members of Rennie’s initial 34-man squad yet to feature this season.
The Nations Championship clash against Ireland is the All Blacks’ final outing before they head to South Africa for the four-Test Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the world champion Springboks.
Rennie has made four changes to the starting XV that thrashed Italy 47-17 last week, including a significant reshuffle in the back row.
Tupou Vaa’i moves from lock to blindside flank, where he has previously featured at Test level, with Josh Lord and Patrick Tuipulotu forming the second-row partnership. Wallace Sititi drops out of the starting side, while Sam Darry also makes way.
There are two changes in the backline, with Quinn Tupaea replacing Billy Proctor at outside centre and Hurricanes flyer Josh Moorby handed his first Test start on the left wing after Leroy Carter was ruled out.
TEAM: Game-breaker boosts Ireland for All Blacks clash
Rennie said continuity had influenced his selection ahead of what he expects to be a fierce contest.
“Ireland have been one of the best sides in the world for a number of years now. They are very experienced and well-coached and will have belief on the back of their recent success here.
“We have selected a strong team that allows some of the combinations we have tested to continue building and rewards players who have impressed over the last two rounds.”
ALL BLACKS – 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Quinn Tupaea, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Josh Moorby, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Ardie Savea (c), 7 Luke Jacobson, 6 Tupou Vaa’i, 5 Patrick Tuipulotu, 4 Josh Lord, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot.
Bench: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Anton Segner, 20 Peter Lakai, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Caleb Clarke.
– AFP
Photo: Phil Walter/Getty Images
The post Barrett still out in the cold appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Dave Rennie has again overlooked veteran flyhalf Beauden Barrett after naming his All Blacks team to face Ireland in Auckland on Saturday.
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