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All Blacks rookie Josh Lord to make debut from bench against USA
All Blacks rookie Josh Lord will complete his rapid rise to test rugby this weekend when he makes his international debut against the USA in Washington DC.
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The vastly inexperienced 20-year-old lock has been named in the reserves by All Blacks head coach Ian Foster for the opening match of New Zealand’s end-of-year tour at FedEx Field on Sunday [NZ time].
With just five Super Rugby caps to his name, Lord was plucked from obscurity to tour with the All Blacks last month as he replaced Scott Barrett and Patrick Tuipulotu, both of whom have returned to New Zealand, in the squad.
However, less than a week after linking up with the team in the American capital, Lord will have the chance to make his test debut against the Eagles.
“Josh Lord is a young man who’s been really enthusiastic since he came in. He’s bringing a lot of energy and learning a lot and we’re looking forward to seeing him go,” Foster said via a statement.
The match also presents a chance for the All Blacks to reintroduce a raft of veteran players who missed most, if not all, of the Rugby Championship campaign.
After being named captain of the tour, Sam Whitelock has been named to start at lock for the first time since the second Bledisloe Cup match in Auckland more than two months ago.
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It comes after the 127-test star stayed in New Zealand while the All Blacks won the Rugby Championship in Australia so he could attend the birth of his third child.
Likewise, the match will also see the return of Sam Cane, who has been relieved of captaincy duties on this tour so he can focus on working his way back into form following a six-month injury lay-off due to a pectoral injury.
With only one match under his belt since March – a solitary appearance for King Country in the Heartland Championship a fortnight ago – Cane has been named on the bench for the USA test alongside experienced hooker Dane Coles.
Coles is another who hasn’t played for the All Blacks for some time, having last played international rugby against Fiji in Hamilton three months ago.
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Since then, he has been plagued by a calf injury, which left him recuperating in New Zealand for the entirety of the Rugby Championship.
Japan are chasing their first-ever win over the Wallabies… Would you bet against them in Oita? #JAPvAUS #BraveBlossoms #Wallabies #RugbyJP pic.twitter.com/R6Ty9OUq7S
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 21, 2021
Similarly to Cane, Coles only has one first-class match to his name since coming back from injury, a one-off outing for Wellington in the NPC two weeks ago, meaning Foster has opted to ease him back into action via the bench as well.
The tier two status of the American side has also enabled Foster to select a starting team comprised of many players who have been starved of game time in recent weeks.
That spells good news for the likes of prop Ethan de Groot (the only member of the All Blacks squad not to feature in the Rugby Championship) and Angus Ta’avao, No 8 Hoskins Sotutu, halfback Finlay Christie and centre Braydon Ennor, all of whom have been named to start.
By being named in the starting lineup, De Groot, Christie and Ennor will all make their first starts at test level, and Foster is excited to watch how they perform.
“Ethan has been raring to go in recent weeks. We’re really excited for him, he’s been training well and he’s a quality player with a big future,” he said.
“Finlay has made the most of his opportunities and he just keeps growing his game and getting better and better and we’re delighted at how he’s going.
“Braydon has had a year disrupted by injury but he’s back. He’s running fast and we’re again looking forward to seeing how he goes.”
Mercurial playmaker Richie Mo’unga will also start at No 10 for the first time since the second Bledisloe Cup win in August.
By that match, the 27-year-old had established himself as the first-choice All Blacks first-five, but his decision to stay in New Zealand and attend the birth of his second child afforded Beauden Barrett a lengthy run in the starting lineup during the Rugby Championship.
The two-time World Rugby Player of the Year didn’t need a second invitation to impress, and Mo’unga’s clear-cut lead in the national pecking order has been muddied somewhat as Foster has a real selection headache over who is preferred candidate is.
Two 21-year-olds locking the All Blacks scrum? It might not be the combo NZ rush to for their big matches, but it could be utilised against the Eagles this weekend. #USAvNZL #AllBlackshttps://t.co/GbLfKGiXFF
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 21, 2021
The race for the No 10 jersey is well and truly on, and Mo’unga will have a long-awaited chance to once again prove his credentials after Barrett, who has been named on the bench, did plenty to enhance his selection prospects.
Elsewhere, inexperienced youngsters such as Vaa’i, hooker Asafo Aumua, loose forwards Luke Jacobson and Dalton Papalii, Quinn Tupaea and Will Jordan will all start in a continuation of their test rugby development.
Damian McKenzie, meanwhile, will start from fullback after Jordie Barrett’s prolonged spell in the No 15 jersey, while George Bridge has been handed a reprieve on the left wing after his horror night against the Springboks in Townsville a month ago.
Joining Lord, Cane, Coles and Barrett in the reserves are props George Bower and Tyrel Lomax, halfback TJ Perenara and midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown.
Kick-off for the clash against the USA Eagles is scheduled for 8:30 am Sunday [NZT].
All Blacks team to face USA Eagles
1. Ethan de Groot
2. Asafo Aumua
3. Angus Ta’avao
4. Sam Whitelock (c)
5. Tupou Vaa’i
6. Luke Jacobson
7. Dalton Papalii
8. Hoskins Sotutu
9. Finlay Christie
10. Richie Mo’unga
11. George Bridge
12. Quinn Tupaea
13. Braydon Ennor
14. Will Jordan
15. Damian McKenzie
Reserves:
16. Dane Coles
17. George Bower
18. Tyrel Lomax
19. Josh Lord*
20. Sam Cane
21. TJ Perenara
22. Beauden Barrett
23. Anton Lienert-Brown
The USA vs All Blacks is available to watch live in the US, Canada and Mexico on FloRugby.
Listen to the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod below:
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments