No room for Beauden Barrett in All Blacks starting team to face Wallabies

All Blacks coach Ian Foster has named such a strong team to face the Wallabies in Saturday’s opening Bledisloe Cup match at Eden Park that he is unable to squeeze Beauden Barrett into his starting XV.

For the first time in five years, Beauden Barrett will come off the bench against a tier one side, with Richie Mo’unga once again winning the race for the coveted No.10 All Blacks jersey and Damian McKenzie rewarded with selection at fullback.

Although three can’t go into two, Barrett’s inclusion off the bench shows how blessed the Kiwis are for depth as the team looks to continue their 35-year streak over Australia at Eden Park.

While Barrett came off the bench in Tests against Tonga and Fiji last month, it will be the first time in five years â€" since New Zealand’s second Test against Wales in June 2016 â€" that he has not started a Test for the All Blacks against a top-tier nation.

The Ioane brothers - Akira and Rieko - have both been picked in the starting side, while Brodie Retallick returns to the second row alongside Sam Whitelock for his first match against Australia since the Auckland Test of 2018.

Halfback Aaron Smith will bring up his 100th Test and 26th against Australia in a halves combination with Mo’unga, who will start his 16th All Blacks Test in a row.

Beauden Barrett will open the 2021 Bledisloe Cup campaign from the All Blacks’ bench.Credit:Getty

David Havili and Anton Lienert-Brown will line up in the centres, while Rieko Ioane and Sevu Reece have been named out wide.

McKenzie will wear the No.15 jersey for the sixth time against Australia. His last appearance at fullback against the Wallabies was in last year’s 16-16 draw in Wellington.

Three Barretts - Beauden, Scott and Jordie - have been selected on an All Blacks bench with 282 Tests of experience.

Dave Rennie will name his team just after 2pm AEST.

The Wallabies will be without Marika Koroibete, back-rower Isi Naisarani and prop Pone Fa’amausili, who are not eligible for selection following a late night drinking session last week.

Australia need to beat New Zealand in one of their two upcoming Tests in Auckland to have any hope of regaining the Bledisloe Cup for the first time since 2002.

The third Bledisloe Test is in Perth on August 28.

All Blacks team to face Wallabies

(1-15): George Bower, Codie Taylor, Nepo Laulala, Brodie Retallick, Samuel Whitelock (c), Akira Ioane, Dalton Papalii, Ardie Savea, Aaron Smith, Richie Mo’unga, Rieko Ioane, David Havili, Anton Lienert-Brown, Sevu Reece, Damian McKenzie.

Bench: Dane Coles, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Angus Ta’avao, Scott Barrett, Luke Jacobson, Brad Weber, Beauden Barrett, Jordie Barrett.

Tom Decent is a journalist with The Sydney Morning Herald

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