Flanker Ardie Savea is to captain New Zealand against Australia tomorrow, while prop James Slipper is to make his 150th appearance for the Wallabies after the teams were named yesterday.
The All Blacks made four changes to a side “stung” by their record 43-10 humiliation to South Africa, while Australia made six alterations to the team who started in the 28-26 loss to Argentina in Sydney two weeks ago.
Lock by Fabian Holland replaces regular All Blacks captain Scott Barrett, who has a shoulder injury.
Photo: AFP
Veteran hooker Codie Taylor is recalled after recovering from injury along with scrumhalf Cam Roigard and wing Caleb Clarke.
For the Wallabies, fit-again wing Harry Potter comes back and youngster Max Jorgensen is to play at fullback in place of the injured Andrew Kellaway.
Center Len Ikitau returns from injury while the halves pair of veteran flyhalf James O’Connor and scrumhalf Tate McDermott were promoted from the bench.
There is a new-look second row, with Nick Frost back from injury and Luukhan Salakaia-Loto to make his first start this year.
Tom Hooper moves from lock to the back row to replace the injured Rob Valetini.
New Zealand coach Scott Robertson resisted making sweeping changes as the All Blacks try to preserve a 31-year unbeaten record at Eden Park and retain the Bledisloe Cup.
“Once you’ve been hurt and stung like we were, the best thing to do is play,” Robertson said.
“You learn on stage and they’ve been under the spotlight and it’s another chance for them,” he said of his players.
“So you bring those four players back and then you keep the cohesion of the rest of the group and that’s when you start to cement a little bit of form together,” he added.
Australia loosehead prop Slipper, 36, will become just the third player to play 150 Tests after Welshman Alun Wyn Jones and New Zealand’s Sam Whitelock.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said that Slipper’s achievement was “phenomenal.”
“The thing I love about Slips is that he’s still trying to get better, he’s still working on his game to add to the team as best he can. He’s a massive team man,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt said that scrumhalf Jake Gordon was not yet ready to return after two months recuperating from injury, resulting in a rare start for McDermott.
It made sense for O’Connor to replace Tane Edmed at flyhalf for the 35-year-old’s first appearance against New Zealand in five years, he said.
“James has got a long-term relationship with Tate, they’ve gone back a wee way at the Queensland Reds,” Schmidt said. “And it was an opportunity for a little bit more experience. This match is going to be a pressure cooker.”
Australia lead the Rugby Championship with two rounds to play, sitting one point ahead of South Africa and New Zealand.
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