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George Bell named in All Blacks team to face Ireland
By Ben Smith
All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson has named his team to face Ireland, mainly sticking to the starting line-up who beat England.
With Codie Taylor and Beauden Barrett ruled out due to stand down protocols, Asafo Aumua will start at hooker and Damian McKenzie resumes in the No 10 jersey.
The replacements will play from the bench, with Crusaders young rake George Bell named as the reserve hooker and Stephen Perofeta the utility reserve in the 23 jersey.
Aside from the elevation of Aumua and McKenzie into the starting side, the XV remains unchanged.
Tamaiti Williams retains his place at loosehead prop with Ethan de Groot's absence extending another week after being punished for breaking team protocol last week.
Ruben Love and Harry Plummer were expected to join the squad but neither have been named.
All Blacks team to face Ireland:
1. Tamaiti Williams
2. Asafo Aumua
3. Tyrel Lomax
4. Scott Barrett (c)
5. Tupou Vaa'i
6. Wallace Sititi
7. Sam Cane
8. Ardie Savea (vc)
9. Cortez Ratima
10. Damian McKenzie
11. Caleb Clarke
12. Jordie Barrett (vc)
13. Rieko Ioane
14. Mark Tele'a
15. Will Jordan
Reserves
16. George Bell
17. Ofa Tu'ungafasi
18. Pasilio Tosi
19. Patrick Tuipulotu
20. Samipeni Finau
21. Cam Roigard
22. Anton Lienert-Brown
23. Stephen Perofeta
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Latest Comments
Not true. I'm a South African and I absolutely loved seeing the Wallabies beating England. And miss the Wallabies of old who were a devastating force with some of the greatest players of all time.
I hear quite regularly that Australians prefer Aussie rules, league, and cricket over rugby.
So again, seems like Australians are to blame for the state of the game in Australia?
Go to commentsI find Ben Smith to be an emotionally driven hysteric. So I question everything he writes.
He launched into the year about the ABs being back this year. For a "journalist" his opinions are based on the flavour of the month.
He's at least gone quiet about how sh1t the boks actually are. Although I suspect he's working on an outrageous article to that effect as we speak, to drive engagement after the end of the Autumn series, as we'll all be taking a break until the 6N.
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