Tu’inukuafe in for injured Moody
AUCKLAND: Joe Moody’s lacerated eyelid has forced the only selection surprise to an otherwise strong, fullstrength All Blacks team to take on England at Twickenham.
In a freak training incident, Moody required three layers of stitches to his eyelid and will be sidelined for six weeks after copping a wayward finger during a routine lineout lift in London earlier this week.
The injury adds to a frustrating year in which Moody, the All Blacks’ firstchoice loosehead prop, has missed the majority of the season, playing six tests, after a catalogue of injuries for the Crusaders and All Blacks.
‘‘Joe Moody has found a way to get himself injured in unusual fashion this year,’’ All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said.
‘‘Anyone else it would probably have missed his eye.’’
Moody’s misfortune opens the door for the bigscrummaging Karl Tu’inukuafe to make his fifth start of the year, with Ofa Tu’ungafasi providing cover from the bench.
Angus Ta’avao’s ability to play both sides of the scrum has resulted in his recall over loosehead specialist Tim Perry.
Elsewhere, the All Blacks have picked what they, for now, consider their strongest team. That includes the return of Jack Goodhue, the Crusaders centre partnering Sonny Bill Williams for only the second time in the midfield after last appearing for the All Blacks seven weeks ago.
Blood tests cleared Goodhue of any lingering glandular fever, an illness which kept him out of the Bledisloe Cup victory in Yokohama two weeks ago. His return pushes Crusaders teammate Ryan Crotty to the bench.
‘‘Jack has trained the house down, so you’ve got to trust the medical people,’’ Hansen said. ‘‘They say he’s ready to go so, he’s ready to go.
‘‘It’s a bit tough on Alby [Anton LienertBrown] because he’s
been doing the job for us off the bench, but we’ve got to find out if someone else can do that job. People say this is a big test but that’s the best time to find out.’’
The back three — Rieko Ioane, Ben Smith and Damian McKenzie — which the All Blacks felt had success against the Wallabies last time out, has also been retained.
That gives McKenzie another chance to fulfil the second playmaking option the All Blacks are now favouring from fullback in order to take decisionmaking pressure off Beauden Barrett.
‘‘We think Damian is very good in the air. Bender is worldclass. Rieko is very good receiving them; he’s still got a bit of work to do chasing them. [With] all the other qualities he’s got I think we can cope with that one not quite being worldclass.’’
In their ongoing, competitive dual, Aaron Smith regains the start at halfback from the continuallyimproving TJ Perenara.
After making his longawaited test return against Japan, Hurricanes captain Dane Coles is set to make the step up from the bench.
With the English test falling on the centenary of Armistice Day, the All Blacks will wear poppies on their jerseys. — NZME