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Recap: All Blacks v Springboks LIVE | Rugby Championship
Follow all the action from the second round of The Rugby Championship live on RugbyPass as New Zealand host South Africa at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington.
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If the Springboks beat the All Blacks by more than 15 points, the Kiwis will lose their No1 ranking to Wales, who would take over the mantle for the first time in their history.
The matchday Kiwi squad selected by Steve Hansen sees a wealth of experience return following last weekend’s opening round 20-16 win away to Argentina.
Joe Moody, Codie Taylor and Owen Franks form the starting front row, with last week’s front row of Ofa Tuungafasi, Dane Coles and Angus Ta’avao on the bench.
(Continue reading below…)
Samuel Whitelock joins Brodie Retallick in the starting second row, Shannon Frizell is at blindside flanker, with Vaea Fifita moving to the bench, while Matt Todd is at seven and captain Kieran Read at the back of the scrum. Dalton Papalii provides loose forward cover on the bench.
In the backs, TJ Perenara will start at half-back and Aaron Smith is on the bench, Beauden Barrett moves to full-back to make way for Richie Mo’unga at 10, Sonny Bill Williams returns at 12 inside Jack Goodhue at centre.
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Rieko Ioane is on the left wing, and with Barrett at full-back, Ben Smith moves to the right wing. Anton Lienert-Brown and George Bridge are the other back reserves.
? WATCH | Ever wondered how many punnets of chips are sold at an All Blacks match? The Stadium CEO gives us some interesting numbers before Saturday's match, and lets us know what it's like to work at an All Blacks test match.#NZLvRSA #BACKBLACK pic.twitter.com/t78wBhSrYg
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) July 26, 2019
Meanwhile, South Africa boss Rassie Erasmus has named a much-changed side from the one that defeated the Wallabies last weekend by 35-17 in Johannesburg.
Eben Etzebeth (lock), last weekend’s Bok captain, and Pieter-Steph du Toit (loose forward) are the only two forwards retained from that win, with Makazole Mapimpi (wing) the only backline player in the starting line-up who also started.
The rest of the Springbok starting line-up consists mainly of the group of players who travelled to New Zealand two days before the opening round match.
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Willie le Roux returns at full-back while Cheslin Kolbe is drafted in on the right wing. Damian de Allende and Lukhanyo Am form a familiar-looking midfield pairing and they will play next to Handré Pollard (fly-half) and Faf de Klerk (scrum-half).
Vermeulen, du Toit and Kwagga Smith (flanker) form the loose trio, with the former Blitzbok speedster set to earn his second start following his international debut last year against Wales in Washington.
Franco Mostert partners Etzebeth in the second row and Malcolm Marx (hooker) is joined in the front row by Steven Kitshoff and Frans Malherbe.
Check out the #Springbok team photo session earlier today in Wellington??
@Official_Bozza @MTNza @SuperSportTV @SuperRugby @LandRoverZA @FNBSA #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/JWr9PiB2Et— Springboks (@Springboks) July 26, 2019
The forwards’ bench consists of Bongi Mbonambi, Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, RG Snyman and Francois Louw, while Herschel Jantjies, Frans Steyn and Jesse Kriel are the replacement backs.
NEW ZEALAND – 15. Beauden Barrett (caps 74); 14. Ben Smith (77), 13. Jack Goodhue (7), 12. Sonny Bill Williams (51), 11. Rieko Ioane (24); 10. Richie Mo’unga (9), 9. TJ Perenara (55); 1. Joe Moody (37), 2. Codie Taylor (41), 3. Owen Franks (106), 4. Brodie Retallick (76), 5. Samuel Whitelock (108), 6. Shannon Frizell (4), 7. Matt Todd (17), 8. Kieran Read – captain (118). Reps: 16. Dane Coles (61), 17. Ofa Tuungafasi (27), 18. Angus Ta’avao (4), 19. Vaea Fifita (10), 20. Dalton Papalii (2), 21. Aaron Smith (83), 22. Anton Lienert-Brown (34), 23. George Bridge (1).
SOUTH AFRICA – 15. Willie le Roux (53 caps); 14. Cheslin Kolbe (7), 13. Lukhanyo Am (6), 12. Damian de Allende (37), 11. Makazole Mapimpi (5); 10. Handré Pollard (39), 9. Faf de Klerk (21); 1. Steven Kitshoff (37), 2. Malcolm Marx (24), 3. Frans Malherbe (29), 4. Eben Etzebeth (76), 5. Franco Mostert (29), 6. Kwagga Smith (1), 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit (47), 8. Duane Vermeulen – captain (46). Reps: 16. Bongi Mbonambi (27), 17. Tendai Mtawarira (108), 18. Trevor Nyakane (38), 19. RG Snyman (12), 20. Francois Louw (66), 21. Herschel Jantjies (1), 22. Frans Steyn (57), 23. Jesse Kriel (41).
WATCH: The insightful RugbyPass documentary with Nemani Nadolo, the Fijian playing at Montpellier
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to comments