Sports Rugby-Union

Ardie Savea is excited with the new challenge of playing with Papalii and Ioane in the loose-forward

Ardie Savea is excited with the new challenge of playing with Papalii and Ioane in the loose-forward
[image: World Rugby]

All Blacks number 8 Ardie Savea is looking forward to teaming up with Akira Ioane and Dalton Papalii in the loose-forward in the Bledisloe Cup opener tonight at Eden Park.

He says he has not played with Papalii before but he is excited about the new challenge.

Savea says they might have some fun at times but when it's game time they cover for each other.

Insert: Savea on loose forwards

Since Kieran Read retired, both Savea and Hoskins Sotutu have been utilised in the Number 8 position.

The All Blacks have played the Wallabies 170 times with the Men in Black winning 117 games, lost 45 matches and drawn 8 times.

The last time the Wallabies won a match at Eden Park was in 1986 where they beat the All Blacks 22-9 and 2002 was the last year they won the Bledisloe Cup.

Sevu Reece and George Bower have been named in the starting line-up for the All Blacks while Rob Valetini will feature for the Wallabies.

The All Blacks will face the Wallabies in the Bledisloe opener at 7.05 tonight.

FNRL

Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations

CFL radio frequencies
LIVE SCORES
Hurricanes vs Brumbies 7:05PM
Crusaders vs Blues 4:35PM
Chiefs vs Reds 7:05PM
Rabbitohs vs Sea Eagles 9:05PM
Knights vs Storm 8:00PM
Raiders vs Roosters 10:00PM
Fijiana vs Japan 10:04PM
Fiji vs Kenya 12:44AM
Fiji vs Great Britain 6:14AM
Maroons 20–22 Blues Full Time
Maroons vs Blues 10:05PM
Maroons vs Blues 10:05PM
Mexico vs South Africa 2:00pm
South Korea vs Czechia 2:00pm
Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina 7:00am
No recent scores