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Will Jordan returns, Rieko Ioane benched in All Blacks team to face Pumas
By Ned Lester
Returning All Blacks star Will Jordan has been named to come off the bench in the matchday 23 to face Argentina in Wellington.
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The rapid try-scoring ace hasn’t played a professional game of rugby since the Rugby World Cup final and will be hoping this weekend’s tussle with Los Pumas goes a little differently to that result.
Beauden Barrett has been backed for the starting gig at fullback after three stellar performances to begin the 2024 international season.
On the wings, Mark Tele’a and Sevu Reece have retained their starting roles after an impressive display from Caleb Clarke in California.
Anton Lienert-Brown has been promoted to start in the midfield alongside Jordie Barrett, with Rieko Ioane set to join Jordan in an electric bench unit.
TJ Perenara will start at halfback in front of his home crowd in what will no doubt be an emotional evening after the announcement of his decision to leave New Zealand at the end of 2024. Cortez Ratima will back him up off the bench.
Partnering Perenara in the halves will be Damian McKenzie, while at No. 8, World Rugby Player of the Year and stand-in captain Ardie Savea is set for another start.
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Joining Savea in the loose-forward trio are Ethan Blackadder and Dalton Papali’i, who will be backed up by rookie Wallace Sititi on the bench.
With Scott Barrett recovering from a surgical procedure on his finger, Tupou Vaa’i has been injected into the starting unit to partner Test rookie Sam Darry in the second row. Josh Lord has been named in the No. 19 jersey.
The familiar starting row of Ethan de Groot, Tyrel Lomax and temporary vice-captain Codie Taylor return to square off with their formidable Argentinian counterparts, with Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Asafo Aumua and Fletcher Newell rounding out the matchday 23.
All Blacks team to face Los Pumas
- Ethan de Groot
- Codie Taylor
- Tyrel Lomax
- Tupou Vaa’i
- Sam Darry
- Ethan Blackadder
- Dalton Papali’i
- Ardie Savea
- TJ Perenara
- Damian McKenzie
- Mark Tele’a
- Jordie Barrett
- Anton Lienert-Brown
- Sevu Reece
- Beauden Barrett
Reserves
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16. Asafo Aumua
17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi
18. Fletcher Newell
19. Josh Lord
20. Wallace Sititi
21. Cortez Ratima
22. Rieko Ioane
23. Will Jordan
By the selections it appears the ABs want to play the game at pace
England series Razor used mainly RWC squad as incumbents to win those 2 games at relatively short lead in. RC a few changes who he knows and who know how to play his way. Moving forwards as he gets to know non-Crusaders and they get to know what he wants there will be further change. Horses for courses
Amazingly how quickly 6 has become a big question mark again. Blackadder is solid without being dynamic or destructive. This back row is good enough to compete to Argentina, but long term it doesn't look balanced at all.
Blackadder has been fit for 2 months so is probably due an injury now anyway.
Yep Blackadder only a stop gap. He will get found out against SA. Frizzell needs to be chuted back in asap
Ironically it is Jacobson who broke down first at training and is out injured.
Good to see some changes, the last 4 season's were awful, pick new players if the old ones can't change.
Three opensides in the backrow and one loosie on the bench. None of which are top notch line out options. I guess lineouts are gonna be messy again.
They are all very good lineout options and used often
Blackadder is a 6
Its about how you use your lifters and we have 2 tall locks in the 23. Lets see what they learned after England series
AB's coaches are going with a mobile running forward pack and a backline fully loaded to play to the structured game plan drills practised at training...or not...and what about the impact fire power thats waiting on the bench...ouch..Game Over...Go the AB's...express yourselves... looking for Razor to empty the bench...
Blackadder is not our long term answer at 6
Maybe not but he is better than Fineau at the moment.
Soft at lock but what better time to test these guys than against some prime Argie beef. Expecting an arm wrestle up front 50/50.
ALB's primarily a defending #13 so I expect a hit it up attack with kick for space, initially. Scattered showers expected Sat evening so boot to ball makes sense.
A banana skin test match if ever there was one.
Id say more untested at lock rather than soft
I like the gradual rotation of players rather than waiting for easy games, though Blackadder at 6 is a gaurenteed dud.
I wonder if we can expect to see a Jordie/Reiko midfield for game two building towards the first SA test, making sure Reiko is prime for the rematch, and perhaps an ALB/Reiko in the 2nd? Choosing Jordie all the way through to the 2nd South Africa game would mean playing 7 straight games, albeit with a 3 week break, and ALB might have proved a solid fill in for a big game after this weekends performance. So depending on how well ALB has gone in his starts we might see Proctor with him in Bled 1, or Jordie is straight back in at 12, or if you're sentimental perhaps that combination gets the game at Wellington.
I see ALB being used at center in this game as a sign he is the current challenger to either Jordie or Reiko's position, not that 13 is considered his best, or most likely to make, position. I like the prospect of Proctor making Bled 1 as that gives a chance to back it up. Really though I don't see much need for more than the 1 game for ALB or Proctor until the end of year tours, with nothing more than a sub appearance for Havili, if that. It's just which combo of those top 3 that get used for the second SA test for me.
Reiko has been dropped, not rotated.
Disappointed for Caleb and Reiko and Cortez. Thought ALB proved in Fiji that he's a test 12 and, given Jordie's recent mistakes, might have been given a run there. At 13 his lack of pace will be exposed on the outside sooner or later, as it was in Super rugby a few times. Maybe Razor's objective is to keep the Boks guessing as to what's coming, and if there's a big win this week, there could be more surprises next week?
Alb was one of the best defensive centers in the comp he rarely got beaten on the outside actually
If there is a big win this week, there won’t be any changes next week except injury enforced ones.
Tamaiti Williams all day over Ofa. Why is Rieko on the bench? Or he is covering wing?
Caleb Clarke over MT! Great team. ABs by 40+ points.
Rieko isn't very good at passing and the wingers rarely touch the ball with him at centre. He is a great defensive centre however. But he is a ball hog.
Reiko to cover centre or wing.