The All Blacks will welcome back four of their big guns from injury in Friday’s crunch Pool A World Cup clash with Italy.
Captain Sam Cane, Shannon Frizell, Tyrel Lomax and Jordie Barrett are all back in the matchday squad, while Sam Whitelock is set to win a record 149th cap off the bench.
Frizell and Barrett will line up in the starting team at blindside flanker and inside centre for their first appearances of the tournament, while Cane and prop Lomax were named among the replacements.
Your 23 to face Italy 🖤
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) September 27, 2023
Samuel Whitelock is set to play his 149th Test Match on Friday night. This will make him the most capped Test player in All Blacks history 🫡#AllBlacks pic.twitter.com/9QNTMrtZfv
Ardie Savea will captain the side No.8, while Dalton Papali'i will start at openside flanker as Cane is eased into action after being a late withdrawal from the opening loss to France with a back problem.
Frizell, who played throughout the Rugby Championship triumph before a hamstring injury, is perhaps the most welcome return after Foster struggled to replace him.
And coach Foster says: “He’s brought a simplicity to his game.
“He’s just focused on the quality of his ball carry, the quality of his tackle and his connections with the likes of Ardie and Sam, and this week Dalton. That’s what we want from him on Friday.”
Things are heating up 🔥#AllBlacks #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/jzBtC7daXK
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) September 27, 2023
New Zealand: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Mark Telea, 10 Richie Mo'unga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Ardie Savea (captain), 7 Dalton Papali’i, 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Scott Barrett, 4 Brodie Retallick , 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ofa Tu’ungafasi. Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Tamaiti Williams, 18 Tyrel Lomax, 19 Sam Whitelock, 20 Sam Cane, 21 Cam Roigard, 22 Damian McKenzie and 23 Anton Leinart-Brown.