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One Change As Ireland Team To Face All Blacks In Third Test Named

19 March 2022; Bundee Aki, left, and Garry Ringrose of Ireland during the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship match between Ireland and Scotland at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Luke Delaney
By Luke Delaney
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Andy Farrell has made just a single enforced charge to his starting Ireland team to face the All Blacks in Wellington from the side which won the second test in Dunedin last Saturday.

Bundee Aki comes in at inside centre to replace the injured Garry Ringrose. Robbie Henshaw, who played at 12 in Dunedin, switches to outside centre.

With Aki bumped up from the bench, Keith Earls - who captained Ireland to victory over the Maori All Blacks on Tuesday - is among the replacements.

Ireland team to play All Blacks in third test

15. Hugo Keenan
14. Mack Hansen
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Bundee Aki
11. James Lowe
10. Johnny Sexton (C)
9. Jamison Gibson Park

1. Andrew Porter
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Tadhg Beirne
5. James Ryan
6. Peter O’Mahony
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Caelan Doris

Replacements:

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16. Rob Herring
17. Cian Healy
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Kieran Treadwell
20. Jack Conan
21. Conor Murray
22. Joey Carbery
23. Keith Earls

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9 July 2022; Ireland players, from left, Caelan Doris, Jonathan Sexton, and Tadhg Furlong celebrate their side's victory in the Steinlager Series match between New Zealand and Ireland at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

After disappointing defeats to the Maori All Blacks and the All Blacks in the first two games of the tour, many would not have expected the series to go down to the wire. But a historic first victory for Ireland over the All Blacks on New Zealand soil last weekend has set up what should be an epic encounter this Saturday.

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"Everyone realises the size of the task in hand, but there's a lot of excitement about being able to deal with that," said Farrell.

"The best part of where we're at is that we know we can do better. What we've done pretty well is have a clear understanding about what our game is all about, and what we need to do to get better. We had a decent result in the last test, but hopefully our best is saved till last.

"The All Blacks have a plan, but it's up to us to make sure that we bring a bit of chaos to that plan. We've got to make sure that we put doubt in the All Blacks' minds as the game goes.

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"It really does not get any better for us. We have all talked about playing against the All Blacks when our backs are against the wall or when they have come off a loss and we know what the history has said about all that.

"That is exactly where we want to be. We know they will be hurting. We know they have bounced back unbelievably strong [before]. We have played them enough times to realise what is coming.

"To have them in the last game before we break for another season, when we expect them to be fired up really wanting to prove a point to us and themselves, it couldn't be any better for us. To be able to deal with those situations is exactly where we want to be."

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SEE ALSO: 6 Standout Irish U20s Players At The Six Nations Summer Series

6 Standout Ireland U20s Players At The Six Nations Summer Series
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