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All Blacks call in two more players as injury cover

By Online Editors

Concussion symptoms bring a cloud of doubt over Beauden Barrett and Vaea Fifita as the All Blacks‘ third and final test against France looms.

The Hurricanes pair will not travel to Dunedin with the All Blacks squad, after both leaving the pitch in their side’s 26-13 win in Wellington on Saturday night with head knocks.

Barrett managed just 12 minutes of action last night. He left the game after coming down awkwardly after being contested in the air by French fullback Benajmin Fall. Barrett was unable to return after failing his head injury assessment, and Fall was subsequently red-carded for his challenge.

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Head coach Steve Hansen said his team is looking to establish more depth this year so will weigh up risk versus reward regarding selection for the third Test in Dunedin.

Reserve hooker Nathan Harris has also been ruled out of the third test. As previously announced, he will head home for the birth of his first child, while loose forward Liam Squire is in doubt with a shoulder injury.

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Squire has only recently recovered from a broken thumb that has kept him out of eight games during the Super Rugby season.

Hurricanes hooker Ricky Riccitelli and Highlanders utility forward Jackson Hemopo have joined the squad as cover.

23-year-old Riccitelli and 24-year-old Hemopo have both previously represented New Zealand at the Under 20 level, but haven’t yet been part of the All Blacks set-up.

Hemopo’s Highlanders teammate Tom Franklin was previously called in as cover for Brodie Retallick.

In other news:

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Bull Shark 31 minutes ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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