The All Blacks selectors have named their most experienced team of the series to play the Springboks in Baltimore on Sunday, with returns for Patrick Tuipulotu, Richie Mo’unga, Anton Lienert-Brown, Rieko Ioane and Beauden Barrett adding a significant amount of intellectual property, and, hopefully for New Zealand, quality.
Ardie Savea’s injury in the defeat to the Springboks in Soweto last weekend, added to veteran Codie Taylor’s rest, meant the All Blacks lacked leadership in the second half but that should not be an issue at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday morning.
No.10 Mo’unga will start – a welcome return for him and his many supporters after his three years in Japan – with lock Tuipulotu adding weight to the second row and centre Lienert-Brown starting alongside Jordie Barrett in the midfield as a replacement for the injured Quinn Tupaea.
It will be Mo'unga's first Test since he started in the World Cup final defeat in Paris three years ago. He replaces Ruben Love who has started all previous six Tests this year and a good performance will put the Crusaders veteran in the frame for next month's Bledisloe Cup Tests against Australia.
Ioane (88 Tests) has been named on the reserves bench for what will be his first Test since he played against Wales in Cardiff late last year.
Likewise Barrett (144 Tests), also on the bench, last played a Test against England on the same Northern tour.
Taylor also returns to hooker, with Ethan de Groot alongside him in the front row for his first Test since his concussion injury at Ellis Park (Josh Lord, injured in the same incident, returns as lock cover on the bench).
Fletcher Newell starts at tighthead prop, with Tyrel Lomax dropping to the bench.
Significantly, Ethan Blackadder replaces the injured Luke Jacobson at openside flanker and Peter Lakai moves from No.6 to Savea’s position at No.8.
It will be Blackadder’s first Test since he played in the defeat to the Boks in Johannesburg in 2024 and it is a big reward for his performance against the Lions on this tour, plus his resilience after a horror run of injuries.
There is no room for lock Fabian Holland, a big contributor for the All Blacks this year who was named on the bench last weekend. Sam Darry will partner Tuipulotu in the second row.
Josh Moorby replaces Leroy Carter on the left wing after Carter’s two unfortunately high-profile defensive lapses at FNB Stadium.
“We always planned for there to be a number of changes for this match," head coach Dave Rennie said. "Every player here has worked incredibly hard over the last seven weeks to prepare the team for the seven games we’ve played so far, and all those selected for this Test fully deserve it.
“We have everything to play for on Saturday (US time). It is our chance to draw the series and end the tour with a performance to be proud of.
“We have had incredible support travelling with us throughout the tour and amazing support back at home. We want to put in a performance that shows how much we appreciate that. We also want to honour the players and management who have returned home early but contributed so much.”
With the Boks up 2-1 in the series, New Zealand cannot win the trophy, but a victory means they will share it.
Kyle Preston's inclusion on the bench as halfback cover means he has been involved in all seven matches on tour - the only player to do so.
New Zealand have played six previous Tests in the United States; three matches against USA (1913, 2014, 2021) one against Fiji in 2024, and two against Ireland in 2016 and 2025.
All Blacks team
(Test caps in brackets)
1. Ethan de Groot (44), 2. Codie Taylor (111) - Captain, 3. Fletcher Newell (40), 4. Patrick Tuipulotu (58), 5. Sam Darry (11), 6. Tupou Vaa’i (50), 7. Ethan Blackadder (14), 8. Peter Lakai (13), 9. Cam Roigard (23), 10. Richie Mo’unga (56), 11. Josh Moorby (4), 12. Jordie Barrett (84), 13. Anton Lienert-Brown (93), 14. Will Jordan (60), 15. Damian McKenzie (80). Reserves: 16. Asafo Aumua (25), 17. Xavier Numia (4), 18. Tyrel Lomax (54), 19. Josh Lord (16), 20. Wallace Sititi (22), 21. Kyle Preston (4), 22. Rieko Ioane (88), 23. Beauden Barrett (144).
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