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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
Even Kurt Eklund and Bradley Slater are miles ahead of Bell. The Christchurch bias is real.
Go to commentsactually - by the looks of it there's only one loosehead in the squad, so presumably Opoku-Fordjour will be parachuted in after training with the first team. Perhaps this also opens up the possibility for Ewels to be picked at 4, with Hill moving to 6?
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