Conrad Smith makes up over half of the 112 caps for the starting backline. Photo / Getty Images
Tracey Nelson crunches the numbers ahead of the third test between the All Blacks and Ireland.
The last time the All Blacks played Ireland in Hamilton was in 2006, and they won that match 34-23. There are five players remaining from that match, Richie McCaw and Keven Mealamu for
New Zealand, and Brian O'Driscoll, Ronan O'Gara and Donncha O'Callaghan for Ireland.
The last time the All Blacks lost in Hamilton was in 2009, when they went down 29-32 against the Springboks. They are yet to lose a test match to Ireland.
The six changes to the All Blacks this week sees Conrad Smith (57 test caps) making up over half of the 112 caps for the starting backline. Piri Weepu has 58 of the 59 caps for the reserve backs, with Tamati Ellison having just the one, and Beauden Barrett poised to make his debut.
Richie McCaw will have his first outing in the No 8 jersey in what will be his 100th start for the All Blacks (he has played 105 tests in total but came off the bench in six of them). He needs just one more try to achieve 100 test points for New Zealand, having scored nineteen tries in the black jersey.
