Kaino at lock for All Blacks

Jerome Kaino will start at No 5 lock for the All Blacks in their Test against Ireland at Soldier Field in Chicago on Saturday.

Coach Steve Hansen tweaked his side with six personnel changes and a positional swap from the team that played against the Wallabies two weeks ago.

The front row is unchanged, but the injuries to Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock see Kaino and Patrick Tuipulotu start in tandem in the second row. Sam Cane is fit again and starts at openside ahead of Matt Todd, while Liam Squire plugs the gap left by Kaino at blindside.

There are three changes in the backline, with wing Waisake Naholo, outside centre George Moala and scrumhalf Aaron Smith returning to the team.

Crusaders lock Scott Barrett, younger brother of flyhalf Beauden, has been named in the match-day squad and will make his Test debut if he comes off the bench.

All Blacks – 15 Ben Smith, 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 George Moala, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read (c), 7 Sam Cane, 6 Liam Squire, 5 Jerome Kaino, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Joe Moody.
Subs: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Ofa Tu'ungafasi, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Scott Barrett, 20 Ardie Savea, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Aaron Cruden, 23 Malakai Fekitoa.

Photo: Lawrence Griffiths/Getty Images

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