Richie Mo'unga not the only new face in All Blacks team to play Lions

Patrick Tuipulotu will captain an overhauled All Blacks team to play the Lions in the final midweek game of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test series.

The headline selection, long expected since his highly anticipated return to camp, is Richie Mo’unga coming in at 10. It will be Mo’unga’s first appearance in a black jersey since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final. The playmaker will link up with Beauden Barrett, who starts at fullback, and will be backed up on the bench by Josh Jacomb.

Other new faces to the tour, Noah Hotham and Saula Ma’u, will get their first minutes in South Africa, the latter coming into the game as uncapped. Both Jamie Hannah and Ofa Tu’ungafasi are straight off the plane and onto the field after coming in as cover for Ethan de Groot and Josh Lord, who went down in Saturday’s dramatic win over the Springboks.

Both Semisi Ta’eiloa and Timoci Tavatavanawai have been given their first starts in All Blacks jerseys, providing punch at No.8 and No.12, respectively.

On the bench, Peter Lakai, Anton Lienert-Brown and Kyle Preston have been selected to bring impact after doing the same against South Africa on Saturday. Preston continues his run as the only All Black to play every game this tour.

“Firstly, I want to congratulate Saula on making his All Blacks debut. It will be a special day for him and his family,” All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie said.

“With the naming of this matchday 23, everyone currently in the squad will have played on tour, which is great for creating depth and competition for places in the Test team.

“I’ve been impressed with the way that all players in our squad have responded to the quick turnaround between games. The Lions match comes just three days after the first Test match but everyone has been involved in preparing this team to play.

“We know we will have to be at our very best again to prepare for what we know will be another physical match against a Lions side that has been lying in wait.”

Fixture

Rugby Union Hybrid Friendlies

Lions

10:00

25 Aug 26

New Zealand

All Stats and Data

All Blacks team to play the Lions

1.??Siale Lauaki (0, 2)
2. Samisoni Taukei’aho (44, 2)
3.??Pasilio Tosi (17, 2)
4.??Sam Darry (10, 2)
5. Patrick Tuipulotu (57, 4) – Captain
6.? Wallace Sititi (21, 2)
7.??Ethan Blackadder (14, 2)
8.??Semisi Ta’eiloa (0, 1)
9.? Noah Hotham (3, 0)
10.? ?Richie Mo’unga (56, 1)
11.? ?Emoni Narawa (4, 2)
12.? ?Timoci Tavatavanawai (2, 2)
13.? ?Rieko Ioane (88, 2)
14.? ?Fehi Fineanganofo (1, 2)
15.? ?Beauden Barrett (144, 3)

Reserves

16.? ?Bradley Slater (0, 1)
17.? ?Ofa Tu’ungafasi (68, 2)
18.? ?Saula Ma’u *
19.? ?Jamie Hannah (1, 0)
20.? ?Peter Lakai (11, 2)
21.? ?Kyle Preston (2, 3)
22.? ?Josh Jacomb (0, 2)
23.? ?Anton Lienert-Brown (91, 3)