All Blacks fly-half Barrett returns from concussion against France / Photo: © AFP
All Blacks fly-half Barrett returns from concussion against France
Fly-half Beauden Barrett comes into the All Blacks team to play France this weekend having overcome concussion, New Zealand Rugby announced on Thursday.
Barrett, 33, missed last week's win over Ireland with a head injury he suffered in November 2's victory over England.
The two-time World Rugby player of the year replaces Damian McKenzie in the number 10 shirt, in five changes made by coach Scott Robertson from the success in Dublin last Friday.
Winger Sevu Reece, scrum-half Cam Roigard, flanker Samipeni Finau and hooker Codie Taylor are also the new faces.
Reece replaces the injured Mark Tele'a, Roigard comes in for Cortez Ratima and Taylor stands in for Asafo Aumua.
Finau is in at blindside as Robertson re-shuffles his back-row due to Sam Cane's concussion as Ardie Savea moves to openside and Wallace Sititi is at No 8.
New Zealand (15-1)
Will Jordan; Sevu Reece, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke; Beauden Barrett, Cam Roigard; Wallace Sititi, Ardie Savea, Samipeni Finau, Tupou Vaa'i, Scott Barrett, Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Tamaiti Williams
Replacement: Asafo Aumua, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Pasilio Tosi, Patrick Tuipulotu, Peter Lakai, Cortez Ratima, Anton Lienert-Brown, Damian McKenzie
Coach: Scott Robertson (NZL)
(H.Leroy--LPdF)
