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Beauden Barrett has been named fullback for the All Blacks’ Bledisloe Cup opener on Sunday, and his younger brother Jordie Barrett will join him in the back-threes.
In his first test in charge, coach Ian Foster has opted to keep the dual playmaking system introduced last year, which will see Richie Mo’unga start in the first five eighths against the Wallabies at Sky Stadium.
But while Jordie Barrett was the fullback of Super Rugby Aotearoa, it is on the right wing that he will move, while New Zealand shuffles the pieces so that its best players enter the park.
It is not too strange a scenario for young Barrett, who played 17 tests, started 10 and ran out of band in three of them, at No. 14 against Italy in Rome in 2018 (where he scored four attempts) and then left-back in his next test against Argentina in Buenos Aires last year, before landing another shot down the right flank against Canada in the World Cup.
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Rounding out the last three is George Bridge, who has been given the go-ahead over rookie Caleb Clarke, who has been selected on the bench.
The 21-year-old is one of three no-limits players selected, with blocking Tupou Vaa’i and loose forward Hoskins Sotutu also named in the reserves.
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Codie Taylor said players like Caleb Clarke and Tupou Vaa’i have adapted well.
In all, there are 17 players left of the 23 who appeared in the fateful semi-final loss to England in Yokohama last year.
In midfield, Jack Goodhue outscores Anton Lienert-Brown for the second job in five-eighths of teaming up with Rieko Ioane, while running back Aaron Smith completes the baseline.
Up front, Joe Moody, Codie Taylor and Ofa Tuungafasi make up the front row, with comebacks of various kinds for Dane Coles, who has not played since sustaining a calf injury in the final round of Super Rugby Aotearoa, and Karl Tu ‘inukuafe, who hasn’t played a test in almost two years.
Sam Whitelock will play his 118th test, becoming the fourth-most-played All Black with the most games of all time, and teammate Patrick Tuipulotu in the second row.
In the loose trio, the post-Kieran Read era sees Ardie Savea start at No. 8, with Shannon Frizell at blind end, along with Captain Sam Cane.
Earlier this week, Foster released a trio of players for the 10 Miter Cup: Tyrel Lomax, Cullen Grace and Peter Umaga-Jensen, and the other players in team form who missed the selection for this test are Asafo Aumua, Alex Hodgman, Akira Ioane, Dalton Papalii, Brad Weber, Sevu Reece, Will Jordan, and Damian McKenzie.
Foster said he and fellow selectors John Plumtree and Grant Fox had kept an open mind when naming their first test of the year.
Michael Bradley / Getty Images
Ian Foster has named three rookies to the bench in his first test in charge of the All Blacks.
“We really wanted to see how the players adapted and fit in and how comfortable they felt returning to the environment, so there were a number of positions that we wanted to keep an open mind about,” he said in a statement.
“We are excited about the group. There is a lot of talent there and we have players jumping out of their skin and wanting a shot. It was great getting together and knowing that there is a test match at the end of the week. There has been a lot of hard work, but the unity of the group and the desire and excitement of playing an international match are at the height.
“It’s a Bledisloe series and both teams will be determined to put a score on. For us, it’s about getting our basics right and focusing on our play and momentum and then letting the guys use their skills on the structure.”
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All the black people: Beauden Barrett, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Jack Goodhue, George Bridge, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (c), Shannon Frizell, Sam Whitelock, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ofa Tuungafasi, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. Bookings: Dane Coles, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Nepo Laulala, Tupou Vaa’i, Hoskins Sotutu, TJ Perenara, Anton Lienert-Brown, Caleb Clarke.
