Mo’unga Starts, Taylor Captains The All Black Against The Boks In Baltimore
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has named Richie Mo’unga at fly-half and handed the captaincy to Codie Taylor for the fourth and final Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry in Baltimore on Saturday.
The team for the final Test includes several changes to the side that played at FNB Stadium last weekend. Ardie Savea, Luke Jacobson and Quinn Tupaea have all been ruled out with injury, while Fabian Holland is unavailable due to illness.
Along with Mo’unga, prop Fletcher Newell, lock Patrick Tuipulotu, loose forward Ethan Blackadder and centre Anton Lienert-Brown will all make their first Test starts of the series.
There are further changes among the match-day 23, with prop Ethan de Groot and lock Josh Lord both returning after leaving the field in the first Test. Both players have progressed through the World Rugby concussion protocols.
Taylor returns as the starting hooker and will captain the side, with Asafo Aumua moving to the reserves. Tighthead props Fletcher Newell and Tyrel Lomax also switch roles this week, with Newell taking the starting position.
With Tuipulotu coming in to partner Sam Darry at lock, Tupou Vaa’i shifts back to blindside flanker, joining Peter Lakai and Blackadder in the loose trio.
Josh Moorby starts on the left wing, while Rieko Ioane and Beauden Barrett come into the 23 as backline cover.
“We always planned for there to be a number of changes for this match,” 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. 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.”
All Blacks match-day 23
Test caps in brackets
- Damian McKenzie (80)
- Will Jordan (60)
- Anton Lienert-Brown (93)
- Jordie Barrett (84)
- Josh Moorby (4)
- Richie Mo’unga (56)
- Cam Roigard (23)
- Peter Lakai (13)
- Ethan Blackadder (14)
- Tupou Vaa’i (50)
- Sam Darry (11)
- Patrick Tuipulotu (58)
- Fletcher Newell (40)
- Codie Taylor (captain, 111)
- Ethan de Groot (44)
Replacements:
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)
M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore marks only the third time the All Blacks have played a Test on American soil (following Chicago in 2014 and Washington D.C. in 2021).
