The China Mail - Havili, Frizell among All Blacks in Australia-NZ XV to face Lions

The pair were joined by Shaun Stevenson and Folau Fakatava as the first wave of signings for the combined team that will take on Andy Farrell's men in Adelaide on July 12.

The combined side will be coached by Les Kiss, who will succeed Joe Schmidt as Wallabies coach next year, alongside former All Blacks mentor Ian Foster.

Kiss also coaches Super Rugby's Queensland Reds, who face the Lions on Wednesday in Brisbane.

"We are delighted with the quality of the New Zealand contingent announced today and look forward to naming more players as the squad comes together," said Rugby Australia's high performance director Peter Horne.

"We want this team to entertain the big Adelaide crowd and provide the Lions with a tough contest as they head into their three-Test series with the Wallabies."

Inside centre Havili has appeared 30 times for New Zealand, scoring nine tries, and is fresh from captaining Canterbury Crusaders to the Super Rugby title.

Flanker Frizell has scored eight tries in his 33 Tests, while fullback Stevenson has been capped once and scrum-half Fakatava twice.

The remainder of the Australia-New Zealand squad is still to be announced for the match, which will be the final Lions outing before the first Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane on July 19.

The Lions will also play Tests at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on July 28 and in Sydney on August 2.

A.Zhang--ThChM