{"id":7707,"date":"2023-09-07T05:16:58","date_gmt":"2023-09-06T17:16:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thebuzz.apnanetwork.co.nz\/?p=7707"},"modified":"2023-09-07T05:17:08","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T17:17:08","slug":"france-v-new-zealand-all-blacks-make-four-changes-for-rugby-world-cup-opener-against-france","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thebuzz.apnanetwork.co.nz\/?p=7707","title":{"rendered":"France v New Zealand: All Blacks make four changes for Rugby World Cup opener against France"},"content":{"rendered":"

New Zealand make four changes to their starting XV for their opening World Cup match against hosts France on Friday.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Scott Barrett, who was sent off as the All Blacks\u00a0<\/span>suffered the heaviest defeat in their history<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in their final warm-up match against South Africa, starts in the second row.<\/span><\/p>\n

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His brother Jordie Barrett is out with a knee injury and is replaced by Anton Lienert-Brown in the centres.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nepo Laulala, Codie Taylor and Dalton Papalii are the other changes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Prop Laulala comes in for Tyrel Lomax, who suffered a nasty cut to his knee against the Springboks, while regular starting hooker Taylor replaces the 36-year-old Dane Coles.<\/span><\/p>\n

The final change is in the back row as Papalii comes in for only his second start at blind-side flanker in place of Luke Jacobson.<\/span><\/p>\n

Second row Scott Barrett – whose other brother Beauden starts at full-back – was cleared to play after\u00a0<\/span>an independent judicial committee<\/span><\/a>\u00a0decided no further punishment was required after his red card against South Africa.<\/span><\/p>\n