New Zealand v Ireland, New Plymouth, June 12
New All Blacks to face O'Gara and Co.
Scrum.com
June 8, 2010
Connacht's John Muldoon, Cardiff Blues v Connacht Rugby, Magners League, Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, December 6, 2009
Connacht skipper John Muldoon is in at the deep end this weekend © Getty Images
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All Blacks coach Graham Henry has named three new caps to face Ireland in New Plymouth on Saturday.

Highlanders fullback Israel Dagg, Blues centre Benson Stanley and Crusaders loose-head Ben Franks have all been given the nod to start while Victor Vito, Sam Whitelock and Aaron Cruden are primed for Test bows off the bench.

It will be s special day for Franks, with his brother Owen starting in the No.3 jersey. The duo will become the first brothers to represent New Zealand in the same side since Robin and Zinzan Brooke in 1997.

Ronan O'Gara has seen off the challenge of Jonathan Sexton and will start at fly-half for Ireland. The veteran Munster pivot will play his 99th Test for Ireland, having lost his place to Sexton in the second half of the Six Nations. The Leinster youngster has only recently returned from a broken jaw and was prevented from taking part in last week's loss to the Barbarians by an infection in his mouth close to where he had surgery.

O'Gara is partnered by Munster team-mate Tomas O'Leary, with Eoin Reddan beating Peter Stringer to a place on the bench. Connacht duo John Muldoon and Sean Cronin will play by far the biggest game in their young Test careers. Muldoon, the standout performer against the Baa Baas, starts in place of the injured Stephen Ferris at blindside while Cronin deputises for Jerry Flannery and Rory Best at hooker.

New Zealand: I Dagg (Highlanders); C Jane (Hurricanes), C Smith (Hurricanes), B Stanley (Blues), J Rokocoko (Blues); D Carter (Crusaders), J Cowan (Highlanders); B Franks (Crusaders), K Mealamu (Blues), O Franks (Crusaders), B Thorn (Crusaders), A Boric (Blues), J Kaino (Blues), R McCaw (Crusaders, capt), K Read (Crusaders).

Replacements: A de Malmanche (Chiefs), N Tialata (Hurricanes), S Whitelock (Crusaders), V Vito (Hurricanes), P Weepu (Hurricanes), A Cruden (Hurricanes), Z Guildford (Crusaders)

Ireland: R Kearney (Leinster); T Bowe (Ospreys), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), G D'Arcy (Leinster), A Trimble (Ulster); R O'Gara (Munster), T O'Leary (Munster); C Healy (Leinster), S Cronin (Connacht), J Hayes (Munster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), M O'Driscoll (Munster), J Muldoon (Connacht), D Wallace (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster).

Replacements: J Fogarty (Leinster), T Buckley (Munster), D Tuohy (Ulster), S Jennings (Leinster), E Reddan (Leinster), J Sexton (Leinster), G Murphy (Leicester)

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