Team news as New Zealand make eight changes to their starting XV to take on South Africa in the Rugby Championship on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Arena from 7.55am; Among the returnees are brothers Beauden and Scott Barrett at fly-half and lock respectively, and lock Brodie Retallick
Thursday 23 September 2021 11:50, UK
All Blacks coach Ian Foster has recalled Beauden Barrett at fly-half and restored his big guns to the pack for the Rugby Championship Test against South Africa on Saturday, live on Sky Sports.
Scott Barrett and Brodie Retallick come back into the second row for the match at North Queensland Stadium, while blindside flanker Akira Ioane and No 8 Luke Jacobson return to join skipper Ardie Savea in the back-row.
Hooker Codie Taylor will pack down with props Nepo Laulala and Joe Moody in an experienced front row for what is expected to be a titanic forward battle against the Springboks.
Foster has formidable reserve forwards to call on, with experienced prop Ofa Tuungafasi and lock Patrick Tuipulotu on the bench for the clash in Australia.
"It's really important - the modern game is about the 23 and it's very likely that those guys will get injected maybe a little earlier than expected," Foster told media on Thursday.
"We're excited about the depth that we've grown in that space."
Beauden Barrett has been paired with scrum-half TJ Perenara to lead a backline featuring Rieko Ioane and David Havili in the centres and Will Jordan and George Bridge on the wings.
The third Barrett brother in the side, full-back Jordie, edged out Damian McKenzie to complete a back-three which will be expected to deal with a barrage of tactical kicking from the Springboks.
"Tough decision on Sevu (Reece) particularly because he's played really, really well," Foster said of the omitted winger.
"But we probably felt that aerially the other two are slightly ahead in terms of being a bit taller and we are expecting a bit of the aerial battle."
The All Blacks will seal a 12th title in the southern hemisphere championship with a match to spare if they secure a win on Saturday in the nations' 100th Test encounter.
"We're well-positioned and we're now going to measure ourselves against a team that's going to play a different game of rugby and we're excited by that," said Foster.
"The fact that it's got a 100th tag on it is going to make it even more special."
New Zealand: 15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 David Havili, 11 George Bridge, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara; 1 Joe Moody, 2 Codie Taylor, 3 Nepo Laulala, 4 Brodie Retallick, 5 Scott Barrett, 6 Akira Ioane, 7 Ardie Savea (c), 8 Luke Jacobson.
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei'aho, 17 Karl Tu'inukuafe, 18 Ofa Tuungafasi, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Ethan Blackadder, 21 Brad Weber, 22 Damian McKenzie, 23 Quinn Tupaea.
