All BlacksNew Zealand All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen has named his team to play Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday with Dan Carter starting and James Parsons making his international debut.

The matchday 23 for Saturday features 11 players from the 23 which played England last week and Daniel Carter makes his first Test start of the year at first five-eighth in his 102nd Test, with TJ Perenara at halfback.

Two of the locks who played against England, Brodie Retallick (shoulder) and Patrick Tuipulotu (shoulder), were not considered for selection, due to injury.

As a result, lock Dominic Bird, who, like Parsons, was called into the All Blacks as injury cover, will start, with Luke Romano coming off the bench. Loose forward Jerome Kaino (knee) was also not considered for selection.

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From last week’s starting XV, Ben Smith moves to fullback with Colin Slade on the wing, while skipper Richie McCaw will clock up a new first in his stellar career: he is making his first Test start in the number six jersey, to make way for Sam Cane at openside flanker.

Joining Smith and Slade in the back three is Charles Piutau, while there is a new midfield combination, with Ryan Crotty at 12 and Malaki Fekitoa at centre.

In the forwards, Victor Vito is at number eight alongside McCaw and Cane in the back row. Bird will play his second Test at lock alongside Jeremy Thrush, while the new front row will see Joe Moody and Charlie Faumuina prop alongside Parsons.

On the bench, the forward reserves are hooker Dane Coles, props Ben Franks and Wyatt Crockett, Romano and loose forward Liam Messam, while the back reserves are halfback Augustine Pulu, midfielder Sonny Bill Williams and winger Julian Savea.

All Blacks Head Coach Steve Hansen said,”We have had a good week’s preparation so far, there is a spring in the step of the team and real excitement looking forward to the Scottish Test.

“We have a lot of respect for the Scots and, like all Northern Hemisphere teams, know that they will bring a lot of physicality to the park. However, we also expect them to want to move the ball, particularly from any turnovers or free kicks. That style certainly suited them last week and makes them, we believe, even more dangerous.

“Though we have made changes to our team, there is an expectation that those who fill the jersey will deliver quality performances.”

 

All Blacks: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Colin Slade, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Charles Piutau, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Richie McCaw, 5 Dominic Bird, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Charlie Fauuina, 2 James Parsons, 1 Joe Moody
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Ben Franks, 19 Luke Romano, 20 Liam Messam, 21 Augustine Pulu, 22 Sonny Bill Williams, 23 Julian Savea.

2 Responses to End of Year Tours: All Blacks – Changes galore for team to face Scotland

  • 1

    Scotland’s team to face All Blacks – 15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors)

    14 Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors)
    14 Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors)
    12 Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors)
    11 Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors)

    10 Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors)
    9 Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester) CAPTAIN

    1 Alastair Dickinson (Edinburgh Rugby)
    2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby)
    3 Euan Murray (Glasgow Warriors)
    4 Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors)
    5 Richie Gray (Castres)
    6 Robert Harley (Glasgow Warriors)
    7 Blair Cowan (London Irish)
    8 Adam Ashe (Glasgow Warriors)

    Substitutes

    16 Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors)
    17 Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors)
    18 Geoff Cross (London Irish)
    19 Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors)
    20 Johnnie Beattie (Castres)
    21 Chris Cusiter (Sale Sharks)
    22 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors)
    23 Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors)

  • 2

    Same starting XV for Scotland on bench Fraser Brown in for Scott Lawson (hookers), Tim Swinson in for Jim Hamilton (lock), Johnnie Beattie in for Alasdair Strokosch (loose forward), Chris Cusiter in for injured Henry Pyrgos (scrumhalf)

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