New Zealand drops Tele’a and returns big hitters to face unchanged Ireland in quarterfinal

PARIS: New Zealand stood down winger Mark Tele’a for breaking team protocol and chose Leicester Fainga’anuku in his place to face top-ranked Ireland in their Rugby World Cup quarterfinal at Stade de France on Saturday.

Coach Ian Foster opened the team announcement on Thursday by saying Tele’a wasn’t playing — not even in the reserves — for disciplinary reasons without elaborating.

“Nothing major but enough to keep him out of selection for this week,” Foster said. “He has trained well, (it) happens.”

It was a big call by a team which is an underdog against Ireland and could, by defeat, equal its worst ever finish at a Rugby World Cup.

“For us, it’s pretty clean cut,” Foster said. “We have dealt with it as a team and moved on. We believe what we stand for. I think that speaks volumes for the team when we make that sort of decision.”

Tele’a made his debut last November and has played most of New Zealand’s big matches since then. He started against France in the opening Rugby World Cup match and scored both New Zealand tries and another try in the demolition of Italy.

But Fainga’anuku was kept where he was on the left wing from the 71-src pool win against Uruguay last Thursday as the All Blacks returned their big-hitters among six changes. That includes both first-choice