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<\/p>\nVeteran lock Sam Whitelock is set to become the All Blacks\u2019 most capped international player <\/p>\n
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Lock Sam Whitelock is set to become New Zealand\u2019s most-capped player after being named among the replacements for the Rugby World Cup clash with Italy.<\/p>\n
The second row will surpass double World Cup-winning skipper Richie McCaw if he comes off the bench to win a 149th cap in Lyon.<\/p>\n
Whitelock, who made his debut in 2010, would then become the second most-capped Test rugby player in history, with only Wales and British & Irish Lions lock Alun Wyn Jones \u2013 who won 171 international caps \u2013 ahead of him on the all-time list.<\/p>\n
The 34-year-old will join Pau at the conclusion of the tournament.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think it takes the romance out of it [that Whitelock is on the bench],\u201d said Ian Foster, New Zealand\u2019s head coach. \u201cThis is a credit to Sam, every game he is achieving something new at the moment. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe equalled a record last week, he\u2019s going to beat it this week. He\u2019s got 150 (caps) coming up and then he\u2019s got the most capped All Black in World Cups. Every day is a bit of a statement of something he\u2019s achieving.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to honour that achievement because he\u2019s earned that but I feel like as a team, we talked a lot about it last week, before the Namibia game, we respect that but we will do all our celebration of that achievement after this game. Right now what the team needs to achieve is bigger than the individual.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Elsewhere, Foster has been boosted by the return of Shannon Frizell and Jordie Barrett to his starting side as the All Blacks seek to secure a quarter-final spot.<\/p>\n
A largely second-string New Zealand side bounced back from the opening defeat to hosts France by thrashing Namibia but now face their toughest subsequent pool fixture. <\/p>\n
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Shannon Frizell has returned from injury to start in the back row <\/p>\n
Frizell returns from injury on the blindside, though regular captain Sam Cane is only on the bench after being a late withdrawal from the opening fixture with his own injury.<\/p>\n
Centre Jordie plays at inside centre and is the youngest of the three Barrett brothers set to start at OL Stadium.<\/p>\n
Italy are high on confidence after back-to-back bonus point wins against Namibia and Uruguay.<\/p>\n
Coach Kieran Crowley again utilises two playmakers in Paolo Garbisi and Tommaso Allan, who return to fly half and full back having been paired at 10 and 12 in the Uruguay win last week.<\/p>\n
Dino Lamb, a former England youth international, is preferred to Niccolo Cannone at lock.<\/p>\n
\u201cHistory means nothing really,\u201d Foster said of Italy, who have never beaten the All Blacks. \u201cIf you look at their recent form, they\u2019re playing well. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the Italy we expect to turn up and we\u2019ve got to make sure that we\u2019re really clear on that. They\u2019ve clearly decided to take risks a little bit and it\u2019s worked for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
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