All Blacks coach Dave Rennie has named Richie Mo’unga in his side to play the Springboks in the fourth Test in Baltimore on Sunday (NZT), the No.10 being one of five players to make their first starts in the series.
The Springboks lead the series 2-1 and while they have only made two changes to their starting 15 from the third Test, Rennie has made a number, calling in prop Fletcher Newell, lock Patrick Tuipulotu, flanker Ethan Blackadder and centre Anton Lienert-Brown to also make their first starts for the series.
In all, there are eight changes from the starting side that lost to the Springboks 29-24 in Soweto last weekend, as the All Blacks attempt to draw the series. One of them also involves a position swap, with Tupou Vaa’i shifting from lock to the side of the scrum.
Codie Taylor will captain the side after being dropped for the third Test, while prop Ethan de Groot and lock Josh Lord return to the 23 after missing the second and third Tests because of concussion. De Groot will start the match while Lord is on the bench with Sam Darry and Patrick Tuipulotu forming the second row.
Codie Taylor has been named All Blacks captain for fourth Test against Springboks.
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Josh Moorby comes in on the left wing, replacing Leroy Carter, who missed a few crucial tackles in the third Test in Soweto last weekend and drops out of the 23.
Injuries have forced Rennie’s hand, with skipper Ardie Savea, Luke Jacobson and Quinn Tupaea ruled out while lock Fabian Holland is also unavailable because of illness.
But he has made other changes as well, with Mo’unga replacing Ruben Love at first five being a strong talking point.
Rieko Ioane and Beauden Barrett are named on the bench as back cover, as Lienert-Brown takes Tupaea’s place in the run-on side.
Peter Lakai will play at No.8, joining Blackadder and Vaa’i as the new loose forward combination, while the front row is different too, with Taylor and De Groot returning and Tyrel Lomax dropping to the reserves with Newell preferred as a starter.
Rennie said the selection group had always planned for a number of changes for this match.
“Every player here has worked incredibly hard over the last seven weeks to prepare the team for the seven games we’ve played so far, and all those selected for this Test fully deserve it,” Rennie said.
Coach Dave Rennie.
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“We have everything to play for on Saturday. It is our chance to draw the series and end the tour with a performance to be proud of.
“We have had incredible support travelling with us throughout the tour and amazing support back at home. We want to put in a performance that shows how much we appreciate that. We also want to honour the players and management who have returned home early but contributed so much.”
If reserve halfback Kyle Preston takes the field, he will be the only player to have taken part in all eight games on the All Blacks tour.
All Blacks v Springboks, 4th test at Baltimore
1. Ethan de Groot, 2. Codie Taylor (captain), 3. Fletcher Newell, 4. Patrick Tuipulotu, 5. Sam Darry, 6. Tupou Vaa’i, 7. Ethan Blackadder, 8. Peter Lakai, 9. Cam Roigard, 10. Richie Mo’unga, 11. Josh Moorby, 12. Jordie Barrett, 13. Anton Lienert-Brown, 14. Will Jordan, 15. Damian McKenzie.
Reserves: 16. Asafo Aumua, 17. Xavier Numia, 18. Tyrel Lomax, 19. Josh Lord, 20. Wallace Sititi, 21. Kyle Preston, 22. Rieko Ioane, 23. Beauden Barrett.
Kick-off at M&T Bank Stadium is at 9.10am Sunday.
