Injury hit All Blacks start rookie at flank
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: All Black head coach Scott Robertson has made four changes to the starting line-up that went down to South Africa at Ellis Park ahead of the Cape Town rematch.
There are two changes on the wing with Sevu Reece taking up the No.14 jumper and Will Jordan shifting to fullback, while Mark Tele’a replaces the injured Caleb Clarke who’s out with a back injury on the left wing.
In the pack Wallace Sititi is entrusted with the No.6 jersey replacing the injured Ethan Blackadder who suffered a hamstring injury.
Cortez Ratima gets a rare start with veteran TJ Perenara demoted to the bench as does Beauden Barrett who makes place for Will Jordan at No.15.
All Blacks: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jordie Barrett (vice captain), 11 Mark Te’lea, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Ardie Savea (vice captain), 7 Sam Cane, 6 Wallace Sititi, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Scott Barrett (captain), 3 Tyral Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Tamaiti Williams
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Sam Darry, 20 Luke Jacobson, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Anton Leinert-Brown, 23 Beauden Barrett.
Date: Saturday, September 7
Venue: Cape Town Stadium
Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00 GMT; 03.00 NZST Sunday, September 8)
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
Assistant referees: Andrew Brace (Ireland), Jordan Way (Australia)
TMO: Ian Tempest (England)
