New Zealand have made one personnel change to the starting XV which thumped Wales a fortnight ago for Saturday’s sold-out Test against Ireland in Dublin.
Sevu Reece – who was part of the second-string All Blacks team which beat Italy last weekend – is selected on the left wing, with David Havili dropping to the bench.
Reece’s inclusion results in a slight reshuffle among Ian Foster’s backs as Rieko Ioane moves from the flank to outside centre, pushing Anton Lienert-Brown forward into the inside midfield spot.
New Zealand won 54-16 in Cardiff on October 30 before naming a completely different team for the subsequent 47-9 victory in Rome.
There are three changes among the replacements from the success against Wales, with Dane Coles, Finlay Christie and Havili taking the places of Samisoni Taukei’aho, head injury victim Brad Weber and Fiji-born Reece.
Veteran scrum-half Aaron Smith will not be involved at the Aviva Stadium after joining up with his country’s squad this week following the birth of his son.
Speaking of the changes, head coach Foster told the All Blacks’ website: “That’s the way we finished the Welsh game, with Anton moving in, Rieko moving to centre and Sevu on the wing.
“It’s a little bit of a reward for that combination. We’ve been able to use this series of games and the time together to try different things and thought a little change there would be good for us.
“We’re also pretty excited at the impact that Finlay, David and Richie will have off the bench.”
The free-scoring All Blacks set a new world record for the number of points scored in a calendar year – 675 – following victory over the Italians and have registered 96 tries this season.
They have lost just two of their previous 32 meetings with Ireland and knocked their upcoming opponents out of the 2019 World Cup at the quarter-final stage.
“We’ve watched Ireland’s development this year with interest,” said Foster.
“They are certainly playing with confidence and ambition and represent a formidable challenge.
“It’s a big occasion, rugby is back to Dublin in terms of full grandstands, so we know what it’s going to mean here, and we want that kind of stage.
“It’s big and it’s exciting and is what motivates this team.”
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) November 11, 2021
New Zealand team to face Ireland
Forwards: 1 Joe Moody, 2 Codie Taylor, 3 Nepo Laulala, 4 Brodie Retallick, 5 Samuel Whitelock (Captain), 6 Ethan Blackadder, 7 Dalton Papalii, 8 Ardie Savea
Backs: 9 TJ Perenara, 10 Beauden Barrett, 11 Sevu Reece, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 13 Rieko Ioane, 14 Will Jordan, 15 Jordie Barrett
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Karl Tu’inukuafe, 18 Tyrel Lomax, 19 Tupou Vaa’i, 20 Akira Ioane, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Richie Mo’unga, 23 David Havili