All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has dropped the experienced trio of Ben Smith, Owen Franks and Rieko Ioane for Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup match against Australia at Eden Park (9.35am).
The All Blacks were humbled 47-26 by the Wallabies last week in Perth, with the victory giving Oz an opportunity to regain the symbol trans-Tasman supremacy for the first time since 2002.
And now Nepo Laulala comes in for Franks at tighthead prop while wingers Smith and Ioane have been replaced by George Bridge, making his first start in his fourth Test, and Sevu Reece, who has just one previous Test cap.
Hansen says of his team: “We didn’t front up last week and we need to do so this week or the trophy will be heading back to Australia.”
All Blacks:
15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 George Bridge, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read (captain), 7 Sam Cane, 6 Ardie Savea, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Joe Moody.
Replacements:
16 Codie Taylor, 17 Ofa Tuungafasi, 18 Angus Ta’avao, 19 Jackson Hemopo, 20 Matt Todd, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Ngani Laumape, 23 Jordie Barrett.