D'arcy And Goran

Nigel Yalden reviews the All Blacks' quarter final squad

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Sinopsis

NIGEL YALDEN AND D'ARCY WALDEGRAVE ANALYSE THE TEAM ABOVE. BELOW, PATRICK MCKENDRY SHARES HIS TAKES ON THE TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT. If we can take anything from the demeanour of All Blacks coach Steve Hansen and his players put before the media today, it's that they have a quiet confidence they have prepared for everything Ireland will bring in their Rugby World Cup quarter-final.That's reflected in the selection of the matchday 23, too. The only minor surprises are at hooker, where Codie Taylor starts ahead of Dane Coles in what Hansen has described as a "one-two" punch combination, and Jordie Barrett on the reserves bench ahead of Ben Smith; primarily for his long-range goalkicking ability.You could call it a horses for courses approach – extra relevant because Hansen has a horse running in a $14 million race in Australia on Saturday, too – but what comes through strongly is how settled this line-up looks and how much faith Hansen and company have in those fortunate players tasked with the job in the biggest game