All Blacks select Barrett brothers for first Test against France
Watch New Zealand v France live on Sky Sports Action from 8am on Saturday
Thursday 7 June 2018 15:21, UK
Three brothers have been named in a New Zealand starting XV for the first time with Scott, Beauden and Jordie Barrett selected for Saturday's first Test against France, live on Sky Sports Action.
Jordie makes his first appearance since last year's Lions series, having missed last year's Rugby Championship to have shoulder surgery, and his inclusion sees Ben Smith shift to the wing.
Scott partners captain Sam Whitelock in the second row after Brodie Retallick was ruled out of the entire series due to a broken bone in his chest, with Beauden named at fly-half.
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Whitelock and Ryan Crotty were passed fit for the Eden Park contest after recovering from concussion symptoms. Crotty starts at inside centre, replacing the injured Sonny Bill Williams, with Anton Lienert-Brown at 13.
"We have got a few injuries but in the long run we have ended up with a pretty good side on the park," said All Blacks coach Steve Hansen.
"With the exception of Brodie and Dane Coles, most people have been available."
Chiefs prop Karl Tu'inukuafe is set to make his Test debut from the bench, capping a meteoric rise into the national side after virtually giving up on rugby four years ago.
Tu'inukuafe was ordered to lose weight by a doctor after he ballooned to 170kgs and was only called into the Chiefs side this season after injury forced out all their originally contracted props.
"He has had a couple of breaks probably when you think about what has happened at the Chiefs with their front rowers, but he has come in and done the job for them," Hansen added.
"The Chiefs are the number one scrummaging side in Super Rugby and Karl is a big part of that so he became an obvious selection when we got down to it."
Meanwhile, scrum-half Morgan Parra will make his first France appearance since their 62-13 loss to the All Blacks in 2015 World Cup quarter-finals.
Head coach Jacques Brunel has named 10 players who missed this year's Six Nations, including Joann Maestri, Maxime Medard, Uini Atonio and Fabien Sanconnie.
Parra will partner Anthony Belleau in the halves while Medard slots in at full-back for his first Test since their tour of Argentina two years ago.
New Zealand-born tighthead prop Atonio and lock Maestri return after a year out of the Test limelight, while Sanconnie fills the loose forward gap created by Louis Picamoles' unavailability.
New Zealand: 15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Anton Lienert Brown, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith; 1 Joe Moody, 2 Codie Taylor, 3 Owen Franks, 4 Sam Whitelock (c), 5 Scott Barrett, 6 Liam Squire, 7 Sam Cane, 8 Luke Whitelock.
Replacements: 16 Nathan Harris, 17 Karl Tu'inukuafe, 18 Ofa Tu'ungafasi, 19 Vaea Fifita, 20 Ardie Savea, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Damian McKenzie, 23 Ngani Laumape.
France: 15 Maxime Medard, 14 Teddy Thomas, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud (c), 12 Geoffrey Doumayrou, 11 Remy Grosso, 10 Anthony Belleau, 9 Morgan Parra; 1 Dany Priso, 2 Camille Chat, 3 Uini Atonio, 4 Paul Gabrillagues, 5 Yoann Maestri, 6 Judicael Cancoriet, 7 Kelian Gourdon, 8 Fabien Sanconnie.
Replacements: 16 Adrien Pelissie, 17 Cyril Baille, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 Bernard Le Roux, 20 Alexandre Lapandry, 21 Baptiste Serin, 22 Jules Plisson, 23 Gael Fickou.
