Rugby: George Bower and Du’Plessis Kirifi join the All Blacks team for the Rugby Championship in Australia

The All Blacks have revealed their team for the Rugby Championship in Australia, and it includes two somewhat surprising additions.

Otago mainstay George Bower and Wellington loose forward Du’Plessis Kirifi, both uncapped will join as cover. The moves are due to the blow to the head Joe Moody suffered in the second Bledisloe Cup test against the Wallabies, and both airhead Nepo Laulala and underdog Ardie Savea on paternity leave.

Bower and Kirifi, 28 and 23 respectively, have 38 Super Rugby caps between them.

Moody was hit just half an hour after Sunday’s game and is currently working with HIA protocols. Laulala and Savea are expected to join the team in Australia in a week or two.

Midfielders Ngani Laumape and Peter Umaga-Jensen are also part of the 38-man squad.

Three players have been released to compete in the 10 Miter Cup this weekend before departing, with Mitchell Dunshea and Cullen Grace available for Canterbury, while Akira Ioane is free to join Auckland.

New Zealand will compete in four games in the ditch, starting with a third Bledisloe fight against the Wallabies in Sydney on October 31. They will travel on Sunday.

All Blacks Team for the Rugby Championship:

Forward: Asafo Aumua, Dane Coles and Codie Taylor, George Bower, Alex Hodgman, Nepo Laulala, Tyrel Lomax, Joe Moody, Karl Tu’inukuafe and Ofa Tuungafasi, Scott Barrett, Mitchell Dunshea, Patrick Tuipulotu, Tupou Vaa’i and Samuel Whitelock, Sam Cane, Shannon Frizell, Cullen Grace, Akira Ioane, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Dalton Papalii, Ardie Savea, and Hoskins Sotutu.

Backs: TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith and Brad Weber, Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo’unga, Jack Goodhue, Rieko Ioane, Ngani Laumape, Anton Lienert-Brown and Peter Umaga-Jensen, Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Will Jordan, Damian McKenzie and Sevu Reece .