- Wing kept out of quarter-final lineup due to breaching protocol
- New Zealand captain believes atmosphere will lift both teams
Mark Telea was said to have done ‘nothing major’ but was still omitted from the All Blacks squad due to face Ireland in the World Cup knockout stage. Photograph: Paul Harding/Getty Images
All Blacks drop Mark Telea against Ireland for disciplinary issue
- Wing kept out of quarter-final lineup due to breaching protocol
- New Zealand captain believes atmosphere will lift both teams
Luke McLaughlin in ParisThu 12 Oct 2023 20.40 BST
The All Blacks’ preparations for Saturday’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final against Ireland have been hit by disciplinary trouble, with Mark Telea dropped for breaching team protocol.
New Zealand’s head coach, Ian Foster, said it was “nothing major” as he announced his matchday 23, while refusing to expand on why the wing was omitted for the knockout tie against the world No 1 side at Stade de France.
“He breached the protocol, nothing major, but enough to keep him out of selection for this week,” Foster said on Thursday. “I still love him, he trained well, it happens. For us it’s pretty clean-cut … We’ve dealt with it as a team and moved on.”
Foster has recalled several big hitters for the eagerly-awaited encounter in Paris, with his players intent on atoning for the shock semi-final defeat by England in Japan four years ago.
