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All Blacks welcome back familiar faces for Rugby Championship finale

Anton Lienert-Brown, Ardie Savea and Richie Mo'unga. (Photo by Andrew Cornaga/Photosport)

Despite a less than exceptional showing last weekend, All Blacks coach Ian Foster has kept changes to a minimum for his side’s rematch with the Springboks on Saturday.

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With the All Blacks playing fives sides in five weeks, it was never expected that the same team would be rolled out round after round and Foster and his fellow selectors have maintained their policy of rotating out players with heavy workloads.

The two biggest talking points are the availability of Richie Mo’unga and Anton Lienert-Brown available for selection – the former after only arriving in Australia two and a half weeks ago, following the arrival of a new baby, and the latter after sitting out the past three matches through injury. Altogether, Foster has made six positional or personnel changes to the starting line-up.

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Who was the top performer for the All Blacks in their win over the Springboks?

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Who was the top performer for the All Blacks in their win over the Springboks?

In the front row, hooker Codie Taylor will again combine with props Joe Moody and Nepo Laulala. They’ll be backed up in the reserves by Asafo Aumua, George Bower and Ofa Tuungafasi.

The pairing of Scott Barrett and Brodie Retallick has been kept on in the second row, with the experienced Patrick Tuipulotu retaining his spot on the bench.

There are significant changes in the loose forwards, with Akira Ioane the only player retained in the same position that they featured last weekend. Ardie Savea has moved down a jersey number, to take on the openside flanker role while Luke Jacobson – who was ruled out late for the first match with the Springboks – slots in at number 8. The trio was originally named to start last weekend before Jacobson was withdrawn.

Ethan Blackadder will cover all three backrow roles from the reserves.

In the halves, Brad Weber gets a third starting opportunity for the year and will partner Beauden Barrett, with TJ Perenara and Mo’unga providing cover from the pine.

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David Havili and the returning Lienert-Brown will form a skillful combination in the midfield while Lienert-Brown’s return sees Rieko Ioane switching to the left wing this weekend. Sevu Reece – who Foster admitted was unlucky to miss out last week – comes into the starting lineup on the right for Will Jordan and Jordie Barrett holds his spot at the back following his match-winning penalty kick against the Springboks in their first clash.

Damian McKenzie rounds out the reserves in the No 23 jersey.

“The energy levels are high in the team, it’s our fifth test in a row, and we’re highly motivated ahead of another big test against South Africa and the last test of the Championship,” said Foster.

“We’ve achieved the Championship title, which we’re really proud to have achieved. The fact that we now have the chance to achieve a potential Grand Slam against our Southern Hemisphere opponents is pretty special. I’m excited by that and it has already given this weekend’s test an edge.”

Foster said the All Blacks were looking for improvement in their game across the board this week.

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“We learnt some lessons last week. We didn’t look after the ball as well as we could have and some of our work at the ruck wasn’t as good as we wanted. We have to lift our performance in that area and the team is keen to get that right this weekend.”

Saturday’s match kicks off at 8:05pm AEST from the Gold Coast.

All Blacks: Jordie Barrett, Sevu Reece, Anton Lienert-Brown, David Havili, Rieko Ioane, Beauden Barrett, Brad Weber, Luke Jacobson, Ardie Savea, Akira Ioane, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Nepo Laulala, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. Reserves: Asafo Aumua, George Bower, Ofa Tuungafasi, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ethan Blackadder, TJ Perenara, Richie Mo’unga, Damian McKenzie.

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2 Comments
B
Bruiser 1132 days ago

Would like to have at least seen Will Jordan on the bench

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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