Flanker Shannon Frizell and back Jordie Barrett have recovered from injuries to start for New Zealand against Italy in a must-win Rugby World Cup pool match on Friday.
New Zealand’s two other injury concerns, squad captain Sam Cane and tighthead prop Tyrel Lomax, will make their returns off the bench.
Watch every game of the Rugby World Cup LIVE on Stan Sport. Start watching Stan Sport now.
The All Blacks, with a 1-1 record in Pool A, must defeat unbeaten Italy to ensure their progress towards the quarter-finals.
With the injury list cleared up, New Zealand was starting to appear closer to full strength.
Frizell missed the All Blacks’ last three Tests — including the South Africa warmup at Twickenham — because of a hamstring issue.
Jordie Barrett’s knee complaint forced him to miss the opening two pool games against France and Namibia, and he’s the only change to the backline which faced France on opening night.
Cane was a late withdrawal before France after tweaking his back in training, and Lomax also hasn’t appeared in the Rugby World Cup yet after he was accidentally gashed in the thigh in the South Africa game.
Loosehead prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi replaced the suspended Ethan de Groot, and lock Brodie Retallick starts ahead of Sam Whitelock, who is set to come off the bench and leave Richie McCaw behind and own outright New Zealand’s appearance record in his 149th Test.
Joining Whitelock in the reserves were prop Tamaiti Williams, who could make his World Cup debut, and halves Cam Roigard and Damian McKenzie, who starred in the 71-3 win over Namibia two weeks ago.
“We fully respect (Italy’s) growth over the last two years and are expecting a huge game with both teams having everything to play for,” coach Ian Foster said.
Key Italy backs Tommaso Allan, Paolo Garbisi and Ange Capuozzo were rearranged again. Allan, Garbisi and Capuozzo were at 10, 12 and 15 — their club or natural positions — against Uruguay last week.
But coach Kieran Crowley on Wednesday put Allan back at fullback, Capuozzo on the wing, and Garbisi at flyhalf.
Lock Dino Lamb, scrumhalf Stephen Varney and inside centre Luca Morisi were also back as starters after Uruguay was overcome 38-17 from 17-7 down at halftime last week.
The changes mean Italy was restored almost to the side which won their opening match against Namibia 52-8. The only difference was Saracen’s Marco Riccioni at tighthead prop instead of Benetton’s Simone Ferrari, who was in the reserves.
The bench was also freshened with the introduction of Hame Faiva, props Ivan Nemer and Ferrari, lock Niccolo Cannone, back-rower Toa Halafihi, and scrumhalf Martin Page-Relo.
New Zealand (15-1): Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Mark Tele’a, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith; Ardie Savea (captain), Dalton Papali’i, Shannon Frizell, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Nepo Laulala, Codie Taylor, Ofa Tu’ungafasi.
Replacements: Dane Coles, Tamaiti Williams, Tyrel Lomax, Sam Whitelock, Sam Cane, Cam Roigard, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown.
Italy (15-1): Tommaso Allan, Ange Capuozzo, Juan Ignacio Brex, Luca Morisi, Montanna Ioane, Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Lorenzo Cannone, Michele Lamaro (captain), Sebastian Negri, Federico Ruzza, Dino Lamb, Marco Riccioni, Giacomo Nicotera, Danilo Fisichetti.
Replacements: Hame Faiva, Ivan Nemer, Simone Ferrari, Niccolo Cannone, Manuel Zuliani, Toa Halafihi, Martin Page-Relo, Paolo Odogwu.
Source link
credite