JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – New Zealand captain Scott Barrett has returned from a broken finger to lead the side in their Rugby Championship test against South Africa at Ellis Park on Saturday, while former skipper Sam Cane will also start against the world champions.
Barrett missed the first two tests of the competition against Argentina but takes his place in the second row alongside the in-form Tupou Vaa’i.
Codie Taylor starts at hooker and will have props Tamaiti Williams and Tyrel Lomax alongside him in the front row of a scrum that has functioned well this year and could be a key weapon at the weekend against a depleted South African pack.
Cane makes up a back three with fellow flanker Ethan Blackadder and number eight Ardie Savea.
Beauden Barrett keeps his place at fullback ahead of Will Jordan, who starts on the wing along with Caleb Clarke, the latter preferred to Mark Tele’a.
A third Barrett brother, Jordie, is at centre alongside Rieko Ioane, while Damian McKenzie keeps his place at flyhalf and TJ Perenara is in the number nine jersey.
Coach Scott Robertson has decided not to fight fire with fire and match the Springboks’ 6-2 split between forwards and backs on the bench, opting for 5-3 with scrumhalf Cortez Ratima, centre Anton Lienert-Brown and Tele’a the three back options.
“To play South Africa at Ellis Park is one of the greatest tests you can prepare for; we will embrace the occasion,” Robertson said.
“We have a lot of respect for the Springboks and we are looking forward to what will be an electric atmosphere at an iconic venue.”
South Africa have won nine of the previous 15 meetings at Ellis Park, but the average score in that time has been 23-22 in their favour.
The match is a repeat of the 2023 Rugby World Cup final in Paris which the Springboks won 12-11. South Africa also inflicted a test record 35-7 defeat on the All Blacks last August.
Team: 15-Beauden Barrett, 14-Will Jordan, 13-Rieko Ioane, 12-Jordie Barrett, 11-Caleb Clarke, 10-Damian McKenzie, 9-TJ Perenara, 8-Ardie Savea, 7-Sam Cane, 6-Ethan Blackadder, 5-Tupou Vaa’i, 4-Scott Barrett (capt), 3-Tyrel Lomax, 2-Codie Taylor, 1-Tamaiti Williams
Replacements: 16-Asafo Aumua, 17-Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18-Fletcher Newell, 19-Sam Darry, 20-Samipeni Finau, 21-Cortez Ratima, 22-Anton Lienert-Brown, 23-Mark Tele’a.
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
