Wednesday, September 18, 2019

All Blacks Named For First Rugby World Cup Match

The New Zealand All Blacks team has been named for the opening match against South Africa in the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan

The team is :

1. Joe Moody
2. Dane Coles
3. Nepo Laulala
4. Samuel Whitelock
5. Scott Barrett
6. Ardie Savea
7. Sam Cane
8. Kieran Read - captain
9. Aaron Smith
10. Richie Mo’unga
11. George Bridge
12. Ryan Crotty
13. Anton Lienert-Brown
14. Sevu Reece
15. Beauden Barrett

Reserves:
16. Codie Taylor
17. Ofa Tuungafasi
18. Angus Ta’avao
19. Patrick Tuipulotu
20. Shannon Frizell
21. TJ Perenara
22. Sonny Bill Williams
23. Ben Smith

The team features Ryan Crotty at second five, with Sonny Bill Williams on the bench, Richie Mo’unga at first five and Beauden Barrett at fullback, Sevu Reece and George Bridge on the wing, and Ben Smith also on the bench.

The pool B match kicks off at 9.45pm on Saturday 21st September.


The South Africa team was named yesterday by coach Rassie Erasmus, and is as follows:-

15: Willie Le Roux, 14: Cheslin Kolbe, 13: Lukhnayo Am, 12: Damian de Allende, 11: Makazole Mapimpi, 10: Handre Pollard, 9: Faf de Klerk, 8: Duane Vermeulen, 7: Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6: Siya Kolisi (captain), 5: Franco Mostert, 4: Eben Etzebeth, 3: Frans Malherbe, 2: Malcolm Marx, 1: Steven Kitshoff.

Reserves:
Bongi Mbonambi, Tendai Mtwarira, Trevor Nyakane, RG Snyman, Francois Louw, Herschel Jantjies, Frans Steyn, Jesse Kriel.