All Blacks duo set to reach milestones against Fiji
Anton Lienert-Brown and Ardie Savea will earn their 50th caps for New Zealand after being named in the side to take on Fiji on Saturday.
Savea will start at openside flanker and Lienert-Brown is in the 13 jersey as the All Blacks look to make it three successive wins in the mid-year series.
The starting front-row is unchanged from last week’s 57-23 win over Fiji, with loosehead prop George Bower, hooker Codie Taylor and tighthead Nepo Laulala again supported by prop Ethan de Groot and hooker Dane Coles from the bench, with prop Angus Ta’avao also coming into the reserves.
Lock Samuel Whitelock returns to captain the side, starting alongside Scott Barrett in the second-row, with Brodie Retallick continuing his return to international rugby via the bench.
Powerful back-row
In the loose forwards, alongside Savea, Akira Ioane gets his second start in the series in the six jersey, with Luke Jacobson also getting his second start at number eight. Shannon Frizell is loose forward cover in the 20 jersey.
In the backs, Aaron Smith retains his starting spot at half-back, inside Richie Mo’unga at 10. David Havili is again at 12, inside Lienert-Brown, after his first Test start there last week.
In the back three, Sevu Reece moves to the left wing while Will Jordan comes off the bench onto the right and Damian McKenzie is at full-back.
Brad Weber, Beauden Barrett and Rieko Ioane are the back reserves.
All Blacks head coach Ian Foster said: “It was the second Test of the year for us last weekend and we were pretty happy with our performance. There were a lot of views about our performance and that’s the beauty of being in this team: people expect perfection.
“We took some really good steps up from the week before (against Tonga) and we were satisfied with our performance, but it did highlight some areas we need to keep growing. This campaign has been about growing our game and making sure we have players that are ready to go for what will be a long season.”
On Savea’s and Lienert-Brown’s milestone, Foster said: “To play 50 games for the All Blacks is pretty special and it’s also special that they get to do it together. Both are really influential players, they’re excited and will have some proud families coming along to watch.”
New Zealand: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 David Havili, 11 Sevu Reece, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Luke Jacobson, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Akira Ioane, 5 Samuel Whitelock (c), 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 George Bower
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Ethan de Groot, 18 Angus Ta’avao, 19 Brodie Retallick, 20 Shannon Frizell, 21 Brad Weber, 22 Beauden Barrett, 23 Rieko Ioane
Date: Saturday, July 17
Venue: FMG Stadium, Hamilton
Kick-off: 19:05 local (08:05 BST, 07:05 GMT)
Referee: Damon Murphy (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Graham Cooper (Australia), Jordan Way (Australia)
TMO: Aaron Patterson (New Zealand)