Scott Barrett Fit To Return And Captain All Blacks Against England At Twickenham

Scott Barrett has travel backmost to skipper nan All Blacks against England astatine Twickenham this weekend. Barrett had 12 stitches threaded successful his limb aft he suffered a trim beneath his knee playing against Ireland a fortnight ago, and missed his team’s 25-17 triumph against Scotland astatine Murrayfield past week, but Scott Robertson, nan New Zealand caput coach, confirmed that he had played a afloat portion successful training for nan England game.

“We’ve gone for our champion squad for this game, for this Test,” Robertson said. “It’s singular that he healed truthful well, erstwhile you saw nan cut. The Barretts must person immoderate bully skin.” His older relative Beauden will commencement astatine fly-half again, but younger relative Jordie is backmost successful New Zealand having curen connected nan ankle wounded he suffered successful that aforesaid lucifer against Ireland.

The winger Caleb Clarke is besides retired injured, truthful Robertson has moved Leicester Fainga’anuku into nan backmost three, and brought Billy Proctor successful to play astatine extracurricular centre. Up front, Simon Parker comes into nan backmost row, and Robertson has kept Wallace Sititi connected nan chair successful a clear effort to supply a counterweight to nan beardown group of replacements picked by his other number, Steve Borthwick. As good arsenic Sititi, he has Anton Lienert-Brown and Damian McKenzie among nan subs, too.

Robertson says he has nary worries astir picking Fainga’anuku connected nan wing. “Did you spot him play nan 2nd Bledisloe Cup match? Yeah, he was beautiful useful connected nan near wing, he’s sewage power, he’s a left-footed kicker, and he’s playing bully footy, truthful it’s his spot.”

The All Blacks’ debrief aft nan Scotland crippled focused connected nan measurement nan Scots had taken power of nan lucifer successful nan 3rd quarter, erstwhile they came backmost from 17-0 down. “We looked astatine nan momentum swings, and really they put unit connected us,” Robertson said. “The expertise to get retired of our ain extremity cleanly was cardinal for us, it conscionable took longer than we’d planned for truthful we’ve done a spot of activity connected it this week and really to get nan momentum back.”

They are besides preparing for an aerial contest. “England person sewage a awesome aerial game, Alex Mitchell’s a value kicker,” Robertson said. “He puts it connected nan spot. It’s a large portion of nan crippled for them. But they besides play a spot too. If George Ford gets it retired of his hands quickly, you cognize nan game’s on. It’s breathtaking erstwhile you play a squad for illustration that. There’ll beryllium a kicking battle, but that’s what comes after, that’s nan key.

“We’re fresh for a awesome crippled of footy. Twickenham ever turns connected nan atmosphere, it’s a awesome occasion. When Swing Low starts cranking up you cognize you’re successful a typical place, wherever rugby’s loved. I deliberation everyone should look guardant to a crippled that’s going to beryllium played nan measurement it should be, shot successful hand.”