News | Rugby
6 Dec 2025 19:44
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Sports > Rugby

    Covid has wreaked havoc on the All Blacks backline and coaches this week, but it's blindside flanker shaping as an intriguing selection for the opening test against Ireland

    Covid has wreaked havoc on the All Blacks backline and coaches this week, but it's blindside flanker shaping as an intriguing selection for the opening test against Ireland


    Newstalk ZB's All Blacks commentator Elliott Smith says Ian Foster and his selectors will be pondering whether to select a specialist blindside in the former of Akira Ioane or put someone else in the six jumper and hope they can make a fist of it.

    Blues openside Dalton Papalii seems an obvious contender for the jersey after his superb Super Rugby season.

    The other complicating factor could be more Covid cases in camp - the All Blacks will be hoping for a clear run from here.

    The 23 will be named at 11:30am.

    INTERNATIONAL RUGBY WITH ACCESS SOLUTIONS - ELEVATING YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS TO A HIGHER LEVEL.

    © 2025 Newstalk ZB, NZCity

     Other Rugby News
     06 Dec: Dan Hall's content with life in the Auckland FC defence while club captain Hiroki Sakai is out injured
     06 Dec: South Africa Rugby have taken the extraordinary step of re-signing Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus through until the end of the 2031 Rugby World Cup
     05 Dec: The Black Caps are trying to wrap up the first cricket test against the West Indies, on day four in Christchurch
     05 Dec: Liam Lawson admits any sympathy for Yuki Tsunoda's Formula One future only goes so far
     05 Dec: Eben Etzebeth won't be back on a rugby field until late March
     04 Dec: All Blacks skipper Scott Barrett is relaxed about a possible quarter-final meeting with the Springboks at the 2027 World Cup
     04 Dec: All Blacks coach Scott Robertson accepts a balancing act may be needed, after being drawn Australia, Hong Kong and Chile in their pool in the 2027 World Cup
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Dan Hall's content with life in the Auckland FC defence while club captain Hiroki Sakai is out injured More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Chris Luxon admits many Kiwis still haven't felt the economy turn a corner More...



     Today's News

    Golf:
    Golfer Daniel Hillier is four shots of the lead after the third round at the Australian Open in Melbourne 19:07

    Living & Travel:
    Crate Day punters are being urged to keep their cars away from beaches and river beds, where rare native birds may be nesting 18:57

    Soccer:
    Malaysian football in chaos after FIFA suspends national players from Argentina, Spain and Brazil 18:57

    Living & Travel:
    The search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 is about to resume, 11 years after the plane disappeared in 2014 on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing 18:37

    Basketball:
    A deep breath for centre Rob Loe as the Breakers hunt a third win in a row in tonight's NBL basketball game against Tasmania 18:27

    Entertainment:
    Critics choice nominations 2026: Sinners scores 17 nods, One Battle After Another earns 14 18:27

    International:
    The gold toilet, the bags of cash and the corruption still stalking Ukraine 17:07

    Soccer:
    Coach Giancarlo Italiano admits he's learnt his lesson when it comes to over-motivating the Phoenix players for their derby battles in football's A-League 16:57

    Motoring:
    A four-vehicle crash is bringing weekend traffic to a halt in Auckland's central city - with one man believed to have been trapped 16:17

    Motoring:
    Efforts turn to helping survivors and recovering the dead after devastating floods in Indonesia 16:07


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd