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The All Blacks took a hit just hours before Bledisloe IV gets underway in Brisbane.
Blues lockout Patrick Tuipulotu has retired due to illness, and Chiefs junior Tupou Vaa’i has moved to the bench.
Matt King / Getty Images
Patrick Tuipulotu is out of the test in Brisbane.
“Patrick Tuipulotu is ill and has been withdrawn from today’s Brisbane Test against the Wallabies,” the All Blacks said in a statement.
“He has been replaced on the bench with the 19 jersey by Tupou Vaa’i.”
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Tuipulotu’s retirement means the All Blacks bench looks decidedly green, and backup Damian McKenzie is the most experienced of the reserves.
Asafo Aumua, Cullen Grace and Will Jordan make their debuts, while loose forward Akira Ioane is also playing his first tryout.
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Tupou Vaa’i has been promoted to the bank in place of Patrick Tuipulotu.
Vaa’i has only two caps: as a replacement in the draw test in Wellington and as a starter alongside Tuipulotu in the victory at Eden Park.
The All Blacks’ other replacement forwards are Aumua, Grace, Alex Hodgman (two caps) and Tyrel Lomax (three caps), which means they have the grand total of seven games among the five forwards on the bench.
Starting locks Sam Whitelock and Scott Barrett have great experience, although Barrett has little playing time after missing Super Rugby Aotearoa due to injury.
It’s a potential Achilles heel for the All Blacks, who have struggled at Suncorp Stadium in recent testing.
Vaa’i and Grace are outstanding prospects and good lineout options, but with a new hooker in Aumua, the All Blacks can rely heavily on veteran Whitelock to guide them through the test.
Tuipulotu (33 caps) had an outstanding year for the Blues and was in good shape against the Wallabies in Sydney last weekend, showing how much his lineot work has improved in recent years.
The test starts at 9.45pm New Zealand time.
