Beauden Barrett will start at flyhalf for the All Blacks in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour opener against the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium on Friday night.
The two-time World Rugby Player of the Year headlines a much-changed side named by coach Dave Rennie.
Only lock Patrick Tuipulotu and fullback Josh Moorby retain their places from the team that beat Ireland last month, with Tuipulotu captaining the side in the absence of regular skipper Ardie Savea, who remains in New Zealand on a managed break, while tour captain Codie Taylor misses out with a calf injury.
Barrett, who did not feature during the All Blacks’ three-Test Nations Championship campaign in July, has been handed the No 10 jersey as he looks to force his way into contention for the opening Test against the Springboks at Ellis Park on 22 August.
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The starting XV also includes the return of lock Fabian Holland, whose July Test campaign was derailed by a shoulder injury, while winger Rieko Ioane earns his first start since returning from a sabbatical at Leinster.
There are also two potential debutants on the bench, tighthead prop Siale Lauaki and flyhalf Josh Jacomb.
ALL BLACKS – 15 Josh Moorby, 14 Leroy Carter, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Wallace Sititi, 7 Peter Lakai, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 4 Fabian Holland, 3 Pasilio Tosi, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 George Bower.
Bench: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Ollie Norris, 18 Siale Lauaki, 19 Sam Darry, 20 Ethan Blackadder, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Josh Jacomb, 23 Caleb Clarke.
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Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
The post Barrett back for All Blacks’ tour opener appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Beauden Barrett will start at flyhalf for the All Blacks in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour opener against the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium on Friday night.
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