New Zealand have Beauden Barrett and TJ Perenara to the bench for Saturday’s Rugby Championship fixture against South Africa in Cape Town as they look to snap a three-match losing streak against the Springboks.
The All Blacks led last weekend’s encounter in Johannesburg 27-17 with 10 minutes remaining, only for South Africa to triumph 31-27 after scoring two late tries.
New Zealand coach Scott Robertson – who says Barrett and Perenara moving to the replacements will ensure “experience and leadership” later in the game, has made four changes in total for a game you can watch live on Sky Sports Mix from 4pm.
Will Jordan replaces Barrett at full-back after moving from right wing while Cortez Ratima takes Perenara’s spot at scrum-half.
The All Blacks have also been forced into two alterations because of injury, with wing Caleb Clarke (back) and flanker Ethan Blackadder (hamstring) missing out.
Mark Tele’a will operate on the left wing with Sevu Reece on the right and Wallace Sititi, the youngest member of Robertson’s squad at 21, starting on the blindside flank.
New Zealand have not lost four matches in a row to South Africa since 1949, with this current winless run including a 12-11 defeat at the 2023 World Cup final.
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Etzebeth to win 126th cap for Springboks
South Africa make seven changes for the Cape Town fixture, include returns for fly-half Handre Pollard and Willie le Roux at full-back, while captain Siya Kolisi is fit after a facial injury last week.
Le Roux is joined in the back three by wings Canan Moodie and Cheslin Kolbe with Kurt-Lee Arendse ruled out due to concussion, and Pollard replaces Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at 10.
Lock Eben Etzebeth will move to within one cap of all-time Springboks record-holder Victor Matfield when he makes his 126th appearance for his country.
South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Grant Williams;1 Ox Nche, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 3 Frans Malherbe, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Ruan Nortje, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 Jasper Wiese.
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Kwagga Smith, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Jaden Hendrikse, 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Lukhanyo Am.
New Zealand: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Mark Tele’a, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Cortez Ratima; 1 Tamaiti Williams, 2 Codie Taylor, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 4 Scott Barrett (c), 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 6 Wallace Sititi, 7 Sam Cane, 8 Ardie Savea.
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Sam Darry, 20 Luke Jacobson, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Beauden Barrett.
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Source : Sky Sports
