Overview
- Hooker Codie Taylor will win his 100th cap, becoming the 14th All Black centurion, with coach Scott Robertson lauding him as a standard-setter for the team.
- Uncapped Simon Parker starts at No. 8, shifting Ardie Savea to openside flanker and retaining Tupou Vaa'i at blindside, with Du'Plessis Kirifi dropping out.
- Five changes include bench returns for prop Tamaiti Williams and loose forward Wallace Sititi after injuries, while Josh Lord and Quinn Tupaea cover for the sidelined Patrick Tuipulotu and Anton Lienert-Brown.
- Robertson framed the moves as a push for bigger bodies and cohesion in the back row, viewing the configuration as important groundwork before facing world champions South Africa.
- Saturday’s second-round Rugby Championship test is in Buenos Aires, where Argentina made two starting changes with Juan Martin Gonzalez in for Marcos Kremer and Mateo Carreras replacing Rodrigo Isgro, prompting Bautista Delguy to switch wings.