Sititi in for All Blacks as De Groot, Lord miss out again
Dave Rennie opted for just a few changes to his team that lost in Cape Town.
All Blacks loose forward Wallace Sititi will make his debut against the Springboks for the first time since last year's record defeat in Wellington, following coach Dave Rennie's selection for the third Test. Prop Ethan de Groot and lock Josh Lord, who were previously sidelined due to clashes during the first Test at Ellis Park, were once again left out.
The South African team has leveled the series 1-1 with two matches remaining. Hooker Asafo Aumua will start, with Samisoni Taukei’aho joining the 23-man squad as a surprise addition. Sam Darry will again start at lock in his 11th Test, while Fabian Holland will move to the bench. Peter Lakai will begin the match in the six jersey, while Sititi fills in on the bench.
All Blacks lock Tupou Vaa’i will be playing his 50th Test for the All Blacks, adding extra motivation for both the team and his family. Rennie emphasized the importance of the upcoming match, noting that the team that fails to win can't win the series. The team appears fresh after a full week of preparation and is eager to deliver their best performance.
The starting lineup includes Damian McKenzie, Will Jordan, Quinn Tupaea, Jordie Barrett, Leroy Carter, Ruben Love, Cam Roigard, Ardie Savea (captain), Sam Darry, Tupou Vaa’i, Tyrel Lomax, Asafo Aumua, and George Bower. Replacements include Samisoni Taukei’aho, Xavier Numia, Fletcher Newell, Fabian Holland, Wallace Sititi, Kyle Preston, Anton Lienert-Brown, and Josh Moorby.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
