New Zealand right pillar Tyrel Lomax, who suffered a knee injury against Uruguay, is in the starting XV for the quarter-final against Ireland on Saturday, according to the line-up revealed on Thursday. Uncertain due to an injury to the internal lateral ligament, Lomax must therefore hold his place, unlike the twirling winger Mark Telea, absent from the group to face the XV of Clover. “He did not respect the protocol, nothing serious, but enough to exclude him from the selection this week. We still like him, he trained well,” said coach Ian Foster without further details, who preferred Toulon’s future three-quarterback, Leicester Fainga’anuku on the left side. This case aside, Ian Foster lines up his typical team, the one he was unable to field against France in the opening, Lomax, Shannon Frizell and finally captain Sam Cane being injured.
New Zealand team: B. Barrett – Jordan, Ioane, J. Barrett, Fainga’anuku, – (o) Mo’unga, (m) Smith – Cane (cap.), Savea, Frizell – S. Barrett , Retallick – Lomax, Taylor, De Groot
Subs: Coles, Williams, Newell, Whitelock, Papali’i, Christie, McKenzie, Lienert-Brown