Ex-captain Cane picked in New Zealand team to face world champion Springboks in Rugby Championship
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Scott Barrett will return from injury to lead the All Blacks in their Rugby Championship test against South Africa in Johannesburg on Saturday and ex- captain Sam Cane will start for the first time this season.
Barrett has recovered from a finger injury which caused him to miss New Zealand’s two home championship tests against Argentina, which the teams split. Cane made his first appearance of the international season as a replacement in the second test, which New Zealand won 40-12.
Head coach Scott Robertson has stuck closely to his lineup from that match. Barrett displaces Sam Darry in the second row and flanker takes the place of openside flanker Dalton Papali’i, who has a thumb injury. The backline is unchanged.
“To play South Africa at Ellis Park is one of the greatest tests you can prepare for,” Robertson said. “We will embrace the occasion. 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.”
Saturday’s match is the third for both teams in the Championship and their first meeting since last year’s Rugby World Cup final, which South Africa won 12-11 after Cane was sent off for a high tackle.
This is Cane’s first starting appearance in a test match since. He had surgery on a back injury in March and didn't play Super Rugby this season. His last match of any kind was for the Suntory Sungoliath club in Japan in January.
Darry has been included on the bench while Barrett joins Tupou Vaa’i in the second row. Samipeni Finau comes onto the bench as backrow cover.
The Springboks beat Australia in two tests in Australia earlier this month. Coach Rassie Erasmus earlier named his match-day 23 which featured nine changes from the team which beat the Wallabies 33-12 in Perth two weeks ago.
South Africa has won nine of 15 previous tests against New Zealand at Ellis Park.
The All Blacks have been hit since the second test against the Pumas by the resignation of assistant coach Leon MacDonald. The former Blues head coach departed after what Robertson described as “differences” on some coaching matters.
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Teams:
New Zealand: Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Damian McKenzie, T.J. Perenara; Ardie Savea, Sam Cane, Ethan Blackadder, Tupou Vaa’i, Scott Barrett (captain), Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Tamaiti Williams. Reserves: Asafo Aumua, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Sam Darry, Samipeni Finau, Cortez Ratima, Anton Lienert-Brown, Mark Tele’a.
South Africa: Aphelele Fassi, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cobus Reinach; Jasper Wiese, Ben-Jason Dixon, Siya Kolisi (captain), Ruan Nortje, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche. Reserves: Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenekamp, Vincent Koch, Marco van Staden, Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Grant Williams, Handre Pollard.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
