Damian McKenzie has been benched following his error-prone performance in Bledisloe I, as All Black coach Scott Robertson makes adjustments for the upcoming match against the Wallabies at Sky Stadium on Saturday night. Beauden Barrett steps in as the starting first five, alongside several other changes to the starting lineup.
Jordie Barrett’s knee injury leads to Anton Lienert-Brown’s promotion to second-five, while Will Jordan retains his position at fullback after Barrett was ruled out due to illness. TJ Perenara returns at halfback, replacing Cortez Ratima, with Sevu Reece remaining on the right wing and David Havili rejoining the squad.
Robertson is expected to provide further context on McKenzie’s exclusion during a media briefing later, but he has been a regular starter this year, having only been substituted once. With the Bledisloe Cup already secured, it was anticipated that he might receive a rest in this match. Harry Plummer has also been omitted from the squad after a brief appearance last weekend.
Despite the benching, McKenzie’s performance in the narrow 31-28 victory over the Wallabies faced scrutiny, suggesting his absence this week is a direct response to that. Lienert-Brown’s selection is a logical choice given his solid form, while Barrett returns to the starting lineup for the first time in two years, having faced mixed results in previous starts.
In recognition of his career milestone, Sam Cane will make his 100th test appearance, with the forward pack remaining unchanged from the last match.
The All Blacks aim to overcome a challenging record at Sky Stadium, where they have not secured a test victory since 2018.
The All Blacks lineup includes:
1. Ethan de Groot
2. Codie Taylor
3. Tyrel Lomax
4. Scott Barrett (c)
5. Tupou Vaa’i
6. Wallace Sititi
7. Sam Cane
8. Ardie Savea
9. TJ Perenara
10. Beauden Barrett
11. Caleb Clarke
12. Anton Lienert-Brown
13. Rieko Ioane
14. Sevu Reece
15. Will Jordan
Bench:
16. Asafo Aumua
17. Tamaiti Williams
18. Pasilio Tosi
19. Patrick Tuipulotu
20. Luke Jacobson
21. Cortez Ratima
22. David Havili
23. David Havili