Saturday, November 19, Ireland v New Zealand, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, 5:30 pm kick-off (Live on Sky Sports 2 from 4:45 pm)
IRELAND face reigning world champions New Zealand at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday (5:30 pm) – so here’s everything you need to know about the game.
Ireland team news
Ireland have named the side that will take on New Zealand at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday in the second fixture of the 2016 Guinness Series.
New Zealand team news
All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen has made 11 changes to his starting XV for Saturday’s clash.
The front row remains unchanged while the second row has been bolstered by the return of senior locks Brodie Retallick and Samuel Whitelock.
Meanwhile, in the loose forwards, captain Kieran Read returns at number eight, while last week’s captain, Sam Cane, who was in last weekend’s RUCK team of the week, is alongside him in the number seven jersey for his 40th Test.
Regular blindside flanker Jerome Kaino has been ruled out with a mild calf strain, so Liam Squire will make his third Test start in his eighth Test, in the number six jersey.
In the backs, scrum-half Aaron Smith and fly-half Beauden Barrett, who was named world player of the year earlier this week, will start their eighth Test of 2016 as the starting inside pairing, while in midfield Anton Lienert-Brown and Malakai Fekitoa will play together in their second consecutive Test.
In the back three, Ben Smith is at full-back and Israel Dagg on the right wing in what will be the 60th Test for both, with powerhouse winger Julian Savea in his regular left wing jersey.
The replacements bench is hooker Codie Taylor and props Wyatt Crockett and Charlie Faumuina, lock Scott Barrett in his third test of the Tour, loose forward Ardie Savea, scrum-half TJ Perenara, fly-half Aaron Cruden and outside back Waisake Naholo.
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Ireland v New Zealand head-to-head
Played 29, Ireland 1, New Zealand 26, draw 1
Ireland v New Zealand odds
Head-to-head: Ireland 6/1, New Zealand 1/8, draw 35/1
Handicap Betting: Ireland (+16) 10/11, Draw (16) 22-1, New Zealand (-16) 10/11
Ireland v New Zealand key battle
Ireland v New Zealand form guide
Ireland: WLLWW
New Zealand: WWWLW
Ireland v New Zealand referee
Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Ireland v New Zealand teams
Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Jared Payne, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Johnny Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O’Brien, 6 CJ Stander, 5 Devin Toner, 4 Donnacha Ryan, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Rory Best (c), 1 Jack McGrath
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Josh van der Flier, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Paddy Jackson, 23 Garry Ringrose
New Zealand: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Israel Dagg, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read (c), 7 Sam Cane, 6 Liam Squire, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Joe Moody
Replacements: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Scott Barrett, 20 Ardie Savea, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Aaron Cruden, 23 Waisake Naholo
