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FWC Finals on Sport Nation guideRennie names All Blacks side for toughest Test yet
Sport Nation • July 16th, 2026 4:00 pm
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie | Photo: Photosport
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has unveiled his matchday 23 for Saturday’s Nations Championship showdown with Ireland in Auckland.
The clash shapes as the toughest test of Rennie’s early All Blacks tenure, with Ireland bringing one of world rugby’s most disciplined and dangerous sides to New Zealand soil.
Rennie’s side opened their campaign with a narrow 34-32 win over France in Christchurch, before backing that up with a 47-17 win against Italy in Wellington.
The All Blacks are looking to maintain their unbeaten start to the Nations Championship, while Ireland arrive in Auckland eager to make a statement in one of the marquee fixtures of the round.
Rennie has made four changes and one positional switch to the starting XV that beat Italy last weekend, with Tupou Vaa’i shifting from lock to blindside flanker.
Josh Lord and Patrick Tuipulotu will start in the second row, while Quinn Tupaea returns to the midfield.
Tuipulotu, who missed the opening two tests with a calf injury, said he was confident his body was ready for the challenge.
“I am happy with the body in terms of how it is feeling, I am pretty confident, it has been a good few weeks training under Rens.”
Josh Moorby has also been rewarded for his impressive debut in Wellington, promoted from the bench to start on the wing.
“Ireland have been one of the best sides in the world for a number of years now,'' said Rennie.
"They are very experienced and well-coached and will have belief on the back of their recent success here. We are well aware of the challenge they pose.
There is further intrigue on the bench, where recent debutants Anton Segner and Xavier Numia could earn their second Test caps. Numia is joined by Asafo Aumua and Fletcher Newell as the reserve front-row cover.
Peter Lakai and Caleb Clarke also return to the matchday 23, giving the All Blacks a bench packed with power and pace.
“We have selected a strong team that allows some of the combinations we have tested to continue building, and rewards players who have impressed over the last two rounds, including some of our recent debutants,” Rennie said.
“We know how important our bench will be against a team as tenacious as Ireland, so have selected players who we know are capable of making an impact and influencing the course of the game.”
All Blacks team vs Ireland:
1. Ethan de Groot, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 4. Josh Lord, 5. Patrick Tuipulotu, 6. Tupou Vaa’i, 7. Luke Jacobson, 8. Ardie Savea (captain), 9. Cam Roigard, 10. Ruben Love, 11. Josh Moorby, 12. Jordie Barrett, 13. Quinn Tupaea, 14. Will Jordan, 15. Damian McKenzie.
BENCH: 16. Asafo Aumua, 17. Xavier Numia, 18. Fletcher Newell, 19. Anton Segner, 20. Peter Lakai, 21. Cortez Ratima, 22. Anton Lienert-Brown, 23. Caleb Clarke.
Unavailable due to injury: Fehi Fineanganofo (shoulder); Leroy Carter (shoulder).
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