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All Blacks dealt late blow as Patrick Tuipulotu ruled out hours before Bledisloe Cup IV

(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

The All Blacks have been dealt a late blow just hours before Bledisloe Cup IV kick-off, with lock Patrick Tuipulotu ruled out of the match due to illness.

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In a statement released on social media, the All Blacks confirmed that Tuipulotu, who was named on the bench for the match in Brisbane, has been replaced in the match day side by two-test youngster Tupou Vaa’i.

“All Blacks lock Patrick Tuipulotu is ill and has been withdrawn from today’s Brisbane test against the Wallabies,” the statement read.

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“He has been replaced on the bench in the 19 jersey by Tupou Vaa’i.”

The addition of Vaa’i in match day squad gives the All Blacks a very youthful reserves list, with the 20-year-old accompanied by three debutants in the form of Asafo Aumua, Cullen Grace and Will Jordan.

The remainder of the All Blacks bench consists of the likes of two-test loosehead prop Alex Hodgman, three-test tighthead prop Tyrel Lomax, five-test halfback Brad Weber and 25-test utility back Damian McKenzie.

Should he make it onto the field, the test will be Vaa’i’s third as an All Black, after having come off the bench for his test debut in the 16-all draw with the Wallabies in Wellington last month, before starting in the 27-7 win in Auckland a week later.

After having travelled from Sydney to Brisbane for the test earlier today, the All Blacks and Wallabies are expected to kick the match off at 6:45pm local time.

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PoppaRick 1 hour ago
The Chiefs are better than the Crusaders

It annoys when sport “Professionals “ make statements like that . The Best Team, plays their Best game in the final. The start of the Season is pure entertainment for the Fans and training for the Teams. The last 2 years in a row the Chiefs timed their run wrong and “Choked “. Not a word used when speaking about the Crusaders, EVER!!

Hamish Bidwell should put something behind his arrogant statement. He’s playing the weatherman game, he knows, if he gets it wrong, meh!

But he takes kudos for getting a 50/50 right.

Remember game #1.

Rob Penny took his front row off including Tamaiti Williams who was demolishing the Chiefs scrum and causing havoc all over the field. The Saders lost the second half and the game, meh? Yes meh! We lost Tamaiti first game last season a loss we didn’t recover from when added to Jordan, Scooter, Backadder , etc. Yet they beat The Blues in the last Round game. Oh that’s right the Chiefs ( qualified first ) then lost to the Blues, at home! With 🐄🔔S.

The Crusaders as a whole, from top down, know the season is decided at the end.

Not a team I would write off so easily.

As for the Cow Bells. If I had Chiefs supporters coming over to watch the game at mine. I would ask them to leave the bells at home, purely because they are so bloody annoying. My house my rules. Next year don’t lose in the “Finals” (joke), get the home final and tell the Crusaders to leave the horses at home (🤣🤣🤣).

I can’t wait the game will be awesome for so many reasons.

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