All Blacks announce changes for Bledisloe II

All Blacks skipper Sam Cane has been ruled out of this weekend's Bledisloe Cup test in Auckland due to injury.

Cane is one of a number of forced changes to the All Blacks team that defeated Australia in Melbourne, with Scott Barrett, David Havili and Quinn Tupaea also unavailable for selection this week.

Sam Whitelock will lead a side which has welcomed No.8 Ardie Savea back from parental leave. He will take his place in a loose forward trio featuring Dalton Papalii at openside flanker and Akira Ioane on the blindside.

With Havili and Tupaea out of the midfield selection frame, the All Blacks have retained a key combination that finished the Bledisloe Cup Test in Melbourne. Jordie Barrett will play second-five eighths while brother Beauden will stay at fullback.

The front row sees experienced hooker Codie Taylor selected in the run-on side while Samisoni Taukei'aho will provide cover, alongside props Ofa Tu'ungafasi and Nepo Laulala.

Lock Tupou Vaa'i, midfielder Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and outside back Sevu Reece are the other new faces added to the reserves.

"This year's Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship is so tightly contested and our group is continuing to make shifts to improve," said All Blacks head coach Ian Foster. "We are determined to finish the tournament strongly and we know that Australia will throw everything at us. This is what Test match rugby is all about and we can't wait.

"Saturday's sold-out double-header at Eden Park is special for our two national teams. We are right in behind the Black Ferns as they take on Japan and we all wish them well."

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission