All Blacks name team for opening Bledisloe Cup Test

The All Blacks team has been named to play Australia in the opening Bledisloe Cup Test of the Rugby Championship in Sydney on Saturday with Sam Whitelock to bring up his century of Tests.

Whitelock and Retallick will be starting their 47th Test as a locking partnership, with Aaron Smith set to make his 71st start as the All Black halfback – not far behind Justin Marshall’s 74.

The matchday 23 is as follows (with Test caps in brackets):

1. Joe Moody (34)
2. Codie Taylor (32)
3. Owen Franks (98)
4. Brodie Retallick (68)
5. Samuel Whitelock (99)
6. Liam Squire (17)
7. Sam Cane (55)
8. Kieran Read – captain (109)
9. Aaron Smith (74)
10. Beauden Barrett (64)
11. Rieko Ioane (16)
12. Ryan Crotty (37)
13. Jack Goodhue (1)
14. Waisake Naholo (19)
15. Ben Smith (67)