Codie Taylor returns from injury to captain the All Blacks for the first time. Hurricanes props Tyrel Lomax and Xavier Numia also make their first tour appearances after recovering from injury setbacks.
With next week’s first test against the Springboks at Ellis Park looming into view after the Bulls, the ongoing absences of Cam Roigard (calf) and Will Jordan (back) will spark nerves among All Blacks supporters.
Roigard, the All Blacks’ most influential figure, and Jordan, their try-scoring record holder, are yet to feature on this tour. Both are central to the All Blacks hopes in the four tests against the Springboks.
“The plan was to give Cam 30 minutes off the bench but he pulled up a little lame. We’re pretty confident he’ll be right for the first test. He’s played a lot of rugby this year,” All Blacks coach Dave Rennie said.
The prognosis for Jordan appears more touch and go.
“We need to get a decent training and training week into him next week,” Rennie said. “The original plan was to play him against the Sharks. When he wasn’t good for that we thought we’d get him some game time this week but he’s not quite right, but he’s definitely better. We’re reasonably confident.”
Damian McKenzie is also nursing an ankle injury suffered in the first half of the blowout win against the Sharks, but Rennie has maintained it is minor and that he will be fit to take his place at fullback for the first Springboks test.
Other features of the team to confront the Bulls include Rieko Ioane starting at centre following Billy Proctor’s tour-ending injury.
Ioane started on the left wing in the tour opening win against the Stormers but he will now team up with Anton Lienert-Brown, who made his Super Rugby debut as an 18-year-old in Pretoria, in the midfield.
Six players – Josh Lord, Wallace Sititi, Kyle Preston, Cortez Ratima, Timoci Tavatavanawai and Emoni Narawa – back up from the side who trounced the Sharks 54-0 on Wednesday (NZT) for the Bulls.
Despite missing their Springboks, Johan Ackermann’s Bulls are expected to provide a much sterner test than the underwhelming Sharks.
The All Blacks have played four previous games against Northern Transvaal, the Bulls’ predecessors, in 1949, 1960, 1970 and 1976, winning the first three and losing the last match 29-27.
“The Bulls have consistently been South Africa’s best franchise side, making the United Rugby Championship finals in four of the last five years. Loftus Versfeld is one of the most formidable rugby grounds in the world, so we are aware of the challenge in front of us and excited at what lies ahead,” All Blacks coach Dave Rennie said.
“This is also our final hit out before the first test match against the Springboks so it is an important game for us. There is healthy competition for test spots so this is another opportunity for players to put their hands up for selection.
“Huge congratulations to Codie on his first All Blacks captaincy. He is a top man and has done a great job leading this tour group. This is a proud moment for an All Blacks centurion who has made a massive contribution to this team as a player and a leader.”
All Blacks team:
1. Xavier Numia, 2. Codie Taylor (c), 3. Tyrel Lomax, 4. Fabian Holland, 5. Patrick Tuipulotu, 6. Simon Parker, 7. Anton Segner, 8. Peter Lakai, 9. Cortez Ratima, 10. Josh Jacomb, 11. Josh Moorby, 12. Anton Lienert-Brown, 13. Rieko Ioane, 14. Leroy Carter, 15. Beauden Barrett
Reserves: 16.Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17. George Bower, 18. Siale Lauaki, 19. Josh Lord , 20. Wallace Sititi, 21. Kyle Preston, 22. Timoci Tavatavanawai, 23. Emoni Narawa
Liam Napier is a Senior Sports Journalist and Rugby Correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. He is a co-host of the Rugby Direct podcast.
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