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Eight All Blacks XV changes as team named to play Georgia
By Liam Heagney
Clayton McMillan has made eight changes to his starting All Blacks XV for this Sunday’s game with Georgia in Montpellier. The tourists opened their two-match European tour with a 38-24 win over Munster in Limerick last Saturday and they have now changed five forwards and three of their backs.
Hooker Kurt Eklund, tigthead Marcel Renata, lock Naitoa Ah Kuoi, blindside Caleb Delaney and No8 Simon Parker have been named as pack starters at the expense of Brodie McAlister, George Dyer, Fabian Holland, Oliver Haig and Devan Flanders.
Out the back, Josh Jacomb is at out-half in place of Harry Plummer, with Riley Higgins and Dallas McLeod forming a fresh midfield combination with AJ Lam and Chay Fihaki dropping out.
McAlister and Plummer both stayed on in Ireland after last weekend's game and joined up with Scott Robertson's Test squad.
A statement read: “The All Blacks XV team has been named ahead of their second match of the northern tour against Georgia in Montpellier on Sunday (kick-off at 2pm CET; 2AM, Monday NZDT).
“Six All Blacks capped players named in squad – George Bower, Finlay Christie, Noah Hotham, Quinn Tupaea, Dallas McLeod and Shaun Stevenson.”
McMillan said: “After an intense match against Munster, we want to build on our performance last week. We are going up against a full strength national Georgia side who have shown they are fierce competition this year. They will be hungry for a win and we need to match that."
All Blacks XV (vs Georgia, Sunday)
1. George Bower (Crusaders/Otago)
2. Kurt Eklund (Blues/Bay of Plenty)
3. Marcel Renata (Blues/Auckland)
4. Isaia Walker-Leawere (Hurricanes/Hawke’s Bay)
5. Naitoa Ah Kuoi (Chiefs/Bay of Plenty)
6. Caleb Delaney (Hurricanes/Wellington)
7. Du’Plessis Kirifi (Hurricanes/Wellington)
8. Simon Parker (Chiefs/Northland)
9. Finlay Christie (Blues/Tasman)
10. Josh Jacomb (Chiefs/Taranaki)
11. Kini Naholo (Hurricanes/Taranaki)
12. Riley Higgins (Hurricanes/Wellington)
13. Dallas McLeod (Crusaders/Canterbury)
14. Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs/Waikato)
15. Shaun Stevenson (Chiefs/North Harbour)
Replacements:
16. Bradley Slater (Chiefs/Taranaki)
17. Xavier Numia (Hurricanes/Wellington)
18. Saula Ma’u (Highlanders/Otago)
19. Fabian Holland (Highlanders/Otago)
20. Corey Kellow (Crusaders/Canterbury)
21. Devan Flanders (Hurricanes/Hawke's Bay)
22. Noah Hotham (Crusaders/Tasman)
23. Chay Fihaki (Crusaders/Canterbury)
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