A large group of the All Blacks squad are returning to NPC action in the Bunnings NPC this weekend.
Sixteen All Blacks in total will be suited up for a sometimes rare appearance for the provincial unions. A number of players such as Jordie Barrett and others are injured or have niggling injuries preventing them from taking part.
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George Bower will be available for Otago when they travel to Semenoff Stadium to face Northland on Friday.
Saturday's four NPC matches will also each feature at least one of the Rugby Championship squad, with Dalton Papali’i and Cam Roigard making returns from injury for Counties Manukau when they are hosted by Manawatū at Massey University.
Southland and North Harbour having Ethan de Groot and Mark Tele’a at their service when they meet in Invercargill.
At Sky Stadium Billy Proctor is set to bolster Wellington when they take on Hawkes Bay and Samipeni Finau available for Waikato to face All Blacks teammates George Bell and Sam Darry in the Canterbury team.
A further seven players are available for Sunday’s two matches as Tasman host Taranaki for the Ranfurly Shield for the last time this season and Auckland try to make something of their season against Bay of Plenty.
Tasman will have Ethan Blackadder, Noah Hotham and David Havili while Stephen Perofeta is eyeing a return from his calf injury for Taranaki.
Pasilio Tosi will anchor a powerful scrum for the Bay of Plenty and both Harry Plummer and Patrick Tuipulotu are available for Auckland who are hosting the game at Auckland Grammar School.
ALL BLACKS IN NPC
FRIDAY
Northland vs Otago, Semenoff Stadium, Whangarei, 7.05pm
Otago: George Bower
SATURDAY
Manawatū vS Counties Manukau, Massey University, Palmerston North, 2.05pm
Counties Manukau: Dalton Papali’i, Cam Roigard
Southland vs North Harbour, Rugby Park, Invercargill, 4.35pm
Southland: Ethan de Groot
North Harbour: Mark Tele’a
Wellington vs Hawkes Bay, Sky Stadium, Wellington, 4.35pm
Wellington: Billy Proctor
Canterbury vs Waikato, Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch 7.05pm
Canterbury: George Bell, Sam Darry
Waikato: Samipeni Finau
SUNDAY
Tasman vsTaranaki, Trafalgar Park, Nelson, 2.05pm
Tasman: Ethan Blackadder, Noah Hotham, David Havili
Taranaki: Stephen Perofeta
Auckland vs Bay of Plenty, Auckland Grammar School, Auckland 4.35pm
Auckland: Harry Plummer, Patrick Tuipulotu
Bay of Plenty: Pasilio Tosi