Changes have come as expected to the All Blacks for the crunch third Test against the Springboks in Soweto, with the selectors springing a minor surprise in the second row.
Fabian Holland, immense in the first two Tests in South Africa, has been named on the reserves bench, with Tupou Vaa’i retaining his place at lock and Sam Darry joining him in the starting line-up for his first Test of the tour.
There is a significant change at hooker, with Codie Taylor taking a weekend off, as predicted, and Asafo Aumua wearing the No.2 jersey, with Samisoni Taukei’aho playing back-up.
Luke Jacobson has retained his place at openside flanker despite assistant coach Jason Ryan hinting earlier in the week that the Chiefs player may have earned a rest, with Peter Lakai starting at blindside flanker. Ardie Savea will captain the team at No.8. It will be Lakai's first start of the Test series.
There is no room for loose forward Simon Parker, who had put in one of his best performances in the black No.6 jersey in last weekend’s defeat in Cape Town.
Prop Ethan de Groot and lock Josh Lord, back from head injuries suffered in the first Test at Ellis Park, have also not been selected.
Instead, the in-form George Bower starts at loosehead prop, with Tyrel Lomax retaining his place at tighthead.
Loose forward Wallace Sititi comes on to the bench for what will be his first Test of the series. Ethan Blackadder must have gone close but reports say he has been suffering from flu this week which may have counted against him.
Prop Xavier Numia, impressive last weekend off the bench, has been named in the No.17 jersey again, with Fletcher Newell again the tighthead replacement. Those two, plus Taukei’aho, Holland and Sititi, will be expected to bring energy and impact to the pack in the second half, if not before.
There are no changes to the backline or the backs on the bench.
The tweaks are intended to freshen up the All Blacks for what will be a huge occasion at FNB Stadium on Sunday morning NZT.
The pressure will be on the forwards to front physically and the entire team to start better than they have in the previous two Tests.
While confident of their plan and personnel, there is no doubting the significance of this Test for the All Blacks and indeed both sides will feel it in front of a crowd which will number around 90,000.
The winner can claim the series – on South African soil anyway – with one Test remaining in Baltimore.
The opportunity is enormous for 26-year-old Darry, the least experienced of the All Blacks starting forwards with only 10 caps, because he will be relied upon to steady a lineout that was shaky in Cape Town and a scrum that was similarly wobbly in the first Test in Johannesburg.
Fortunately, perhaps, he is alongside an experienced campaigner in Vaa’i, who is celebrating his 50th Test.
“Tupes is a top man. It’ll be a special day for him and his family and additional motivation for us,” head coach Dave Rennie said.
“With both teams heading into the third Test one apiece, there’s everything to play for on Saturday.
“The team that doesn’t win this weekend can’t win the series. That’s the kind of challenge we love to rise to.
“The team is feeling fresh after a full week’s lead-in to the game and we can’t wait to put everything out on the park."
Rennie also paid tribute to the All Blacks’ fans at home and in the Republic.
“We’ve really felt the support not only from our travelling army of Kiwi fans and fans here in South Africa, but also the New Zealand public back home,” he said. “It’s been massive for us and we look forward to more of the same this weekend.”
This is the ninth time in 13 Test series between New Zealand and South Africa that the result has been tied one-all going into the third Test.
Meanwhile, with his 33rd Test try last week, skipper Savea took the number of total Test tries for the Savea brothers to a world record of 79 for siblings (Julian Savea scored 46), passing the Barrett brothers mark of 78. Beauden has scored 45 tries, Jordie 26 and Scott seven.
All Blacks team
(Test caps in brackets)
1. George Bower (28), 2. Asafo Aumua (24), 3. Tyrel Lomax (53), 4. Tupou Vaa’i (49), 5. Sam Darry (10), 6. Peter Lakai (12), 7. Luke Jacobson (29), 8. Ardie Savea (111) - Captain, 9. Cam Roigard (22), 10. Ruben Love (10), 11. Leroy Carter (9), 12. Jordie Barrett (83), 13. Quinn Tupaea (28), 14. Will Jordan (59), 15. Damian McKenzie (79). Reserves: 16. Samisoni Taukei’aho (44), 17. Xavier Numia (3), 18. Fletcher Newell (39), 19. Fabian Holland (14), 20. Wallace Sititi (21), 21. Kyle Preston (3), 22. Anton Lienert-Brown (92), 23. Josh Moorby (3).
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