All Blacks released to play in NPC

Twelve members of the All Blacks Rugby Championship squad will represent their Provincial Unions this weekend during round six of the NPC.

George Bell and Ethan de Groot will bolster the Canterbury and Southland front rows respectively when the sides meet in Invercargill this Friday.

On Saturday, loose forwards Samipeni Finau and Luke Jacobson will join Waikato when they take on Hawke’s Bay in Hamilton, while Tauranga’s fixture will feature prop Pasilio Tosi for Bay of Plenty and lock Josh Lord for Taranaki.

A further six players will feature in Sunday’s provincial clashes, including George Bower for Otago against Counties Manakau; Harry Plummer and Patrick Tuipulotu for Auckland against Northland; and David Havili will help Tasman in its Ranfurly Shield defence at Lansdowne Park, while Billy Proctor and Ruben Love join Wellington.

The list of All Blacks squad members playing for their provincial teams is as follows:

Friday, September 13

Southland v Canterbury - Rugby Park, Invercargill, 7.05pm
Southland: Ethan de Groot
Canterbury: George Bell

Saturday, September 14

Bay of Plenty v Taranaki – Tauranga Domain, 2.05pm
Bay of Plenty: Pasilio Tosi
Taranaki: Josh Lord

Waikato v Hawkes Bay – FMG Stadium, Hamilton, 7.05pm
Waikato: Samipeni Finau and Luke Jacobson

Sunday, September 15

Counties Manukau v Otago – Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe, 2.05pm
Otago: George Bower

Tasman v Wellington – Lansdowne Park, Blenheim, 2.05pm
Tasman: David Havili
Wellington: Billy Proctor and Ruben Love

Northland v Auckland – Semenoff Stadium, Whangārei, 4.35pm
Auckland: Harry Plummer and Patrick Tuipulotu

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission