Ian Foster has made six changes to the All Blacks starting XV to face Ireland in the World Cup on Saturday, for the first meeting since the Irish’s historic series win in New Zealand.
There are eight players in the match-day 23 for the quarter-final at Stade de France who started all three Tests against Ireland in 2022 – Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Beauden Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Ardie Savea, Aaron Smith, Codie Taylor and captain Sam Cane.
Jordie Barrett is the only All Black who played every minute of the series (240).
Will Jordan is on a three-game try-scoring streak against Ireland, crossing against them in Dublin in 2021, and in Dunedin and Wellington in 2022.
He has scored four tries in three games at the 2023 World Cup and 27 tries in 28 Tests since making his All Blacks debut in 2020.
Cane has won just one of his three Tests against Ireland as skipper. No All Blacks captain has ever lost more than two Tests against Ireland, after Kieran Read suffered two defeats (2016 and 2018) and Sam Whitelock one (2021).
Richie Mo’unga has scored the fourth-most World Cup points for the All Blacks (90), behind Dan Carter (191), Grant Fox (170), and Andrew Mehrtens (163).
Leicester Fainga’anuku has scored four tries in two games at this year’s tournament. He made his Test debut against Ireland last year, but was limited in his opportunities on attack, averaging just six carries and 30 metres per game across two appearances.
LISTEN: Blowing the whistle on Ben O’Keeffe
LISTEN: Les Bleus on red alert for brutal Boks
Photo: Alan Lee/Photosport/BackpagePix