Training mishap rules All Blacks ace Caleb Clarke out of Test series against France
Updated . First published
UPDATE: The All Blacks have suffered another injury blow with winger Caleb Clarke ruled out of the Test series against France.
Clarke suffered a high ankle injury at training in Wellington on Thursday and is having scans to determine the severity.
Chiefs star Emoni Narawa will instead start on the right wing, while Rieko Ioane will take Clarke's No.11 jersey.
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Caleb Clarke looks on during a New Zealand All Blacks training session at Sky Stadium. Getty
Fiji-born wrecking ball Timoci Tavatavanawai is set to make his All Blacks debut on Saturday in the second Test.
Tavatavanawai can play in the centres or on the wing and has been named on the bench instead of Quinn Tupaea.
All Blacks great Justin Marshall described the 105kg powerhouse as "Ma'a Nonu on steroids" as he lit up Super Rugby Pacific this season.
Ma'a Nonu rides a horse at Whakarua Park in Ruatoria. Getty
Nonu is incredibly still playing in France's Top 14 at the age of 43 and is regarded as one of the best Test centres ever.
Tavatavanawai came to New Zealand as a 19-year-old who weighed just 70kg and worked as a plasterer.
"I was down in Tasman and I got told you're a bit small," he said.
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All Blacks assistant coach Jason Ryan congratulates Timoci Tavatavanawai on his selection. Getty
"The competition when you go a level up is stronger, so the nutritionist, coaches and the trainer put me to work and I had a bit extra to eat.
"I was having like eight eggs a morning. I had to change my body."
Ardie Savea will captain New Zealand in place of Scott Barrett, who is out for the series after tearing his calf in Dunedin last weekend.
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Patrick Tuipulotu will take Barrett's place in the second row, while winger Sevu Reece was ruled out after he suffered a grade one head knock in the first minute of the first Test.
Coach Scott Robertson was expected to make more changes after a dire first Test performance in which the All Blacks scraped home 31-27 against a French team stripped of most of its Six Nations stars.
France has made 10 changes for the second Test.
Ioane is lucky to retain his place in the starting lineup after a poor first Test performance.
His failure to secure the kickoff at the start of the second half led directly to a France try.
Robertson has also retained Beauden Barrett at No.10, though Barrett's tactical kicking game in the first Test was flawed and New Zealand was unable to win recoverable kicks.
"Test series are a unique and exciting opportunity," Robertson said.
"Both teams now have a better idea of what they're going to get on Saturday night, and both will lift for this next occasion.
"We know where we need to improve."
Improvement is needed across the board unless the All Blacks are to produce another of the rudderless performances that have become typical during Robertson's tenure.
New Zealand was beaten by France in the aerial contest in Dunedin, and the selection of Clarke may help with that.
There was also a lack of physicality at the breakdown, which the All Blacks will have to find on Saturday to prevent another close finish.
Scott Barrett and Fabian Holland of the All Blacks. Getty
Robertson has retained Netherlands-born lock Fabian Holland and No.8 Christian Lio-Willie, who made solid debuts last weekend.
First Test debutants Ollie Norris and Du'Plessis Kirifi have also been retained among a 5-3 split on the bench.
New Zealand (15-1): Will Jordan, Emoni Narawa, Billy Proctor, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Beauden Barrett, Cam Roigard, Christian Lio-Willie, Ardie Savea (captain), Tupou Vaa'i, Fabian Holland, Patrick Tuipulotu, Fletcher Newell, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot
Reserves: Samisoni Taukei'aho, Ollie Norris, Pasilio Tosi, Samipeni Finau, Du'Plessis Kirifi, Cortez Ratima, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Damian McKenzie
France (15-1): Leo Barre, Theo Attissogbe, Nicolas Depoortere, Pierre-Louis Barassi, Emilien Gailleton, Joris Segonds, Nolann Le Garrec, Esteban Abadie, Jacobus Van Tonder, Pierre Bochaton, Matthias Halagahu, Joshua Brennan, Georges-Henri Colombe, Gaetan Barlot (c), Baptiste Erdocio
Reserves: Pierre Bourgarit, Paul Mallez, Regis Montagne, Romain Taofifenua, Cameron Woki, Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer, Thibault Daubagna, Antoine Hastoy
