Will Jordan has been named at fullback for the All Blacks’ match against the Springboks in Cape Town, with Beauden Barrett benched and a switch in the No.9 jersey as Scott Robertson made four changes to the starting XV beaten in Johannesburg.
In a move that is a clear reaction to the All Blacks’ disappointing finish last weekend, where his team blew a 10-point lead down the stretch, Robertson has packed his bench with experience.
It means rookie halfback Cortez Ratima will start ahead of TJ Perenara. There is also a gamble in the back row with Chiefs No.8 Wallace Sititi making his first Test start, and second match, in the No.6 jersey due to injury to Ethan Blackadder. Dalton Papali’i was deemed fit but not selected.
“Obviously we’ve looked at it and realised it’s really important to have experience at the end of games,” Robertson told a media conference.
“It’s a great couple of names to put on there with a lot of Tests and a lot of experience. They’ll come on and finish the job for us.”
Robertson acknowledged Barrett and Perenara were disappointed not to be starting.
“It’s a tough conversation,” Robertson told reporters. “They’re great team men, they’ve been around for a long period of time. They know the All Black jersey is so important to all of us.
“If they need to come on and finish a job, they will. You’ve got to be really respectful in those conversations and talk through your reasons why. They understood but they want to start.
“They want to be out there for the majority of the match (but) how we finish the match, that’s the key.
“Obviously last week we gave them opportunities with 10 minutes to go and a little bit of (poor) discipline. We just gave them too many opportunities inside our 22.
“It was small margins, the whole game and that’s Test footy. So we looked at all our efforts and then focused on areas where we could be better. One of them was obviously finishing matches.”
Caleb Clarke was unavailable due to a back injury sustained during last weekend’s Test at Ellis Park, while Jordan shifts from the right wing to fullback for the first time in 2024 and only the second time in his All Blacks career.
Sititi is in for Blackadder, whose tight hamstring saw him unavailable for selection.
Luke Jacobson has been brought onto the reserves bench.
Sititi has not had much time at No.6 – last playing “a couple games at North Harbour” – his club team.
“I think it’s going to be a big change. But we’ll prepare well throughout the weekend I’ll get my reps right and it should be all good,” Sititi said.
It has been some rise for Sititi, who earlier this year was running out on the Chiefs development squad.
“You know, still feeling a bit overwhelmed. But just excited and keen to get it done,” he said.
Asked what he can bring to the All Blacks game this week he said: “I think the big one is being able to play for the full 80. Being able to keep that level high throughout the entire game. We all know, it’s a physical game, so I’ll be expecting that to happen this week as well.”
All Blacks match-day 23 (Test caps in brackets)
1. Tamaiti Williams (10)
2. Codie Taylor (90)
3. Tyrel Lomax (37)
4. Scott Barrett (73) (Captain)
5. Tupou Vaa’i (31)
6. Wallace Sititi (2)
7. Sam Cane (97)
8. Ardie Savea (87) (Vice Captain)
9. Cortez Ratima (5)
10. Damian McKenzie (53)
11. Mark Tele’a (14)
12. Jordie Barrett (63) (Vice Captain)
13. Rieko Ioane (74)
14. Sevu Reece (27)
15. Will Jordan (34)
16. Asafo Aumua (12)
17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi (62)
18. Fletcher Newell (19)
19. Sam Darry (4)
20. Luke Jacobson (21)
21. TJ Perenara (85)
22. Anton Lienert-Brown (76)
23. Beauden Barrett (129)
MORE TO COME
