Ardie Savea to captain All Blacks as star duo returns for Springboks Test at Ellis Park
From a heavy-duty front row to an explosive backline featuring Ruben Love and Damian McKenzie, see how Dave Rennie's All Blacks will line up at Ellis Park.
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has unveiled a potent lineup for the team's opening clash against the Springboks at Ellis Park, set to kick off at 5:10pm. Ardie Savea, the seasoned No 8, will don the captain's armband, leading a reshuffled back row featuring Luke Jacobson and Tupou Vaa’i. The front row, comprising Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor, and Tyrel Lomax, brings a combined 203 Test caps of set-piece expertise to face the formidable Springbok scrum.
In the second row, Josh Lord and Fabian Holland complement each other's athleticism. Halfbacks Cam Roigard and Ruben Love grace the lineup, with Jordan and McKenzie forming the midfield. On the wings, Will Jordan leads the charge, while Damian McKenzie provides the necessary counter-attacking prowess. Rennie has strategically opted for a 5-3 bench split, featuring veteran impact players such as Asafo Aumua, George Bower, Fletcher Newell, and experienced center Anton Lienert-Brown, alongside emerging talents like Peter Lakai, Anton Segner, Kyle Preston, and Leroy Carter.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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