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Foster makes four changes in latest All Blacks team to face Boks

(Photo by Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Ian Foster has named an All Blacks team for next Saturday’s rematch with the Springboks in Johannesburg showing four changes – three in the starting pack – following last weekend’s deflating 26-10 round one Rugby Championship loss in Mbombela.

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The 16-point margin made it New Zealand’s fifth-equal biggest loss in their 616-Test history and the under-fire head coach has reacted by shaking things up in the forwards and also making a switch at fly-half.

Props Ethan de Groot and Tyrel Lomax, who were both replacements last weekend, have been promoted to start at the expense of the benched George Bower and the excluded Angus Ta’avao. With tighthead Ta’avao not making the 23, the bench cover will be supplied by the uncapped Fletcher Newell.

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Elsewhere, blindside flanker Shannon Frizell has been promoted from the replacements to start at Ellis Park following his try-scoring cameo. He takes over from the benched Akira Ioane while in the backs, Richie Mo’unga will be the starting No10 in place of the demoted Beauden Barrett for the first time this season. Codie Taylor replaces Dane Coles as the sub hooker on a bench that has five alterations from last weekend.

“Belief and confidence remain high in our group, which is working incredibly hard this week,” said Foster. “Playing at Ellis Park is always a special occasion for any All Blacks team and this weekend will be no different. Adding to that, the Freedom Cup is on the line which makes this a challenge that everyone is looking forward to.”

All Blacks (vs Springboks, Saturday)
1. Ethan de Groot (5)
2. Samisoni Taukei’aho (12)
3. Tyrel Lomax (15)
4. Samuel Whitelock (135)
5. Scott Barrett (51)
6. Shannon Frizell (18)
7. Sam Cane – captain (81)
8. Ardie Savea (63)
9. Aaron Smith (106)
10. Richie Mo’unga (36)
11. Caleb Clarke (6)
12. David Havili (17)
13. Rieko Ioane (51)
14. Will Jordan (16)
15. Jordie Barrett (40)

Replacements:
16. Codie Taylor (69)
17. George Bower (15)
18. Fletcher Newell *
19. Tupou Vaa’i (13)
20. Akira Ioane (15)
21. Finlay Christie (7)
22. Beauden Barrett (105)
23. Quinn Tupaea (10)
* Debut

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Comments

5 Comments
S
Silk 825 days ago

Why are the All Blacks struggling of late?
Simple answer. Ask yourself... how many of this current All Black team will be selected in a World team? Apart from maybe Beauden Barret, none. Zero. Zilch.
That is the problem with NZ rugby. It is the current players. Not the coach. You can bring in any new coach. It won't change the fortunes of this All Black side by much.
Where are the Collins', McCaws, Carter's, Cullens, Nonus, Umagas?
Always respected the All Black teams in the past. In the past 10 years, a World team would consist of 8 to 10 All Blacks at least.
Not anymore.

N
Nat 826 days ago

No BB?? Out of all the changes Foster could have made, that one seems the most difficult to comprehend. There is no doubt Richie is a great 10 for the Crusaders at the Super Rugby level. However, he has not yet proved himself at the international level. Not sure if Ellis Park is the place to give him another starting opportunity.

T
Thomas 826 days ago

It’s official. Foster is the worst coach in NZ pro rugby.

R
Ricardo 826 days ago

Good to see some young blood coming in. Go All Blacks!

B
Brendon 826 days ago

Here's to Ian Forster's swan-song.

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JW 1 hour ago
Scott Robertson explains the new halves pairing for the All Blacks ahead of France

More indecision and excuses from Razor.


You've given a spot at 6 to Finau whom you haven't even had the courage to use off the bench in the last two games. Now the young enforcer is going into a big much with no rugby, we should expect a similar result to how Aumua struggled to impact a game after he'd hardly been given any chances of the bench either.


Weve now dropped a back three player who also wasn't even given any game time off the bench for someone coming in cold when they really need to have been playing constantly to perform at their best. There are just so many better pictures that should have been present rather than this mickey mouse selection.


I really hope Finau can overcome this, it won't be the first time he's had to. How is the bench even made up? Could you not just have included these changes in the article as well? I actually like BB coming back in, it highlights how courageous he is after sitting out through another concussion that could just as easily sent him back into months of symptoms again.


Dmac was also off his game last week, as was Ratima, with the poor platform Razor and his team have been setting the players up with. He needs to freedom to clear his mind from the clutter that saw him make so many bad decisions last week. It will still probably be a net loss for the team performance not having him on from the start but it should be better for them in the long run if he's allowed to just come on late and play his game trying to claw things back for the team.


With Roigard starting that might prove an outlet for the team to actually get on top first however. Along with Ardie busting a gut in his new role and emptying the tank by halftime, and being replaced by another new star, might mean that Dmac is just icing on the cake at the end.

13 Go to comments
F
Flankly 1 hour ago
Jake White: If I was England coach, I’d have been livid

I am not an England fan, but still very disappointed at what Borthwick is serving up. Regardless of winning or losing, they should be executing the basics at a world class level. That was the reason they replaced Eddie with Steve. After two years England has not built the solid foundations that the RFU were presumably after. Its hard to see it as anything other than a coaching problem.


Having said that I really hope that Rassie has got his team fired up for the game. The Boks at maximum intensity and with no crises (eg red cards) would be expected to win this game. But it does not take much reduction in pressure for Bok teams to lose. The Boks lose when complacency sets in.


On Felix Jones, my guess is that they can't agree on a non-compete so they kept him on payroll for the duration of the Nov tests. The risk was that he would be hired by Rassie or Razor prior to the tests.


As relates to law tweaking, it feels like WR are more comfortable discussing changes in laws than insisting on implementation. For my money the biggest thing they could do is to be strict and consistent in officiating ruck behavior. In every game we see flopping, lazy lying, clearing of unbound players, making plays while off your feet, delays in placing the ball, side entry, offside line infringements, and similar nonsense. It's really really bad, and the WR attitude seems to be that we should turn a blind eye in pursuit of "flowing rugby". In truth it's just boring, because it randomizes the outcome.

11 Go to comments
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