Thursday Morning Round Up
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LIVE: 2019 World Cup fixtures announcement
Beauden Barrett to lead the All Blacks against the Barbarians
First five-eighth Beauden Barrett will captain the All Blacks for the first time, while three new All Blacks, hooker Asafo Aumua, prop Tim Perry and outside back Matt Duffie have been named on the reserves bench.
Barrett will become the 132nd player to captain the All Blacks side. 68 players have captained the Test side while another 63 have captained the side in non-Tests.
Reece Hodge at 10 as s the Wallabies reshuffle their backline to face Japan
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has been forced to reshuffle his backline ahead of Saturday afternoon's clash with Japan in Yokohama.
Bernard Foley (illness), Karmichael Hunt (neck) and Will Genia (calf) have all been sidelined for the historic clash against the Cherry Blossoms, in what is Australia’s first clash against Japan on Japanese soil.
Hunt injured his neck in the Wallabies final training session on home soil on Tuesday, and the injury was aggravated further on the nine-hour red-eye flight to Tokyo on Tuesday evening.
8 Debutants named in Maori squad to face Canada
Eight new caps have been named in Clayton McMillan's first Moari All Blacks side with Manawatu’s Jackson Hemopo getting a start at lock, and Shaun Stevenson, Jackson Garden-Bachop, Sam Henwood, Jordan Manihera, Tyrel Lomax, Ross Wright and Liam Polwart to debut off the bench.
Lions sign Meyer on loan and confirm departures
The @LionsRugbyCo have signed @GriquasRugby scrumhalf Christiaan Meyer on loan for #SuperRugby 2018 ✍️
— Ultimate Rugby (@ultimaterugby) November 2, 2017
📰 https://t.co/aealsOzwGD pic.twitter.com/0dTpRdPkHG
The feisty halfback was in fine form during the Currie Cup. The Lions are expected to announce more acquisitions in the coming weeks.
While the Lions have confirmed the signing of the halfback they have confirmed that the following players have come to the end of their contract with the side.
Charlie Ewels cleared to play
Ewels was charged with making a dangerous tackle on Gloucester’s Henry Trinder contrary to law 10.4(e).
The citing was dismissed by the panel so Ewels is free to play with immediate effect.
