All Blacks team: Dave Rennie resists mass changes as tweaks made to squad with two more bolters handed an opportunity
Tupou Vaa'i and Wallace Sititi in action for the All Blacks.
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has decided against making mass changes to his side ahead of their clash against Italy this weekend.
Despite facing the weakest of the three July Nations Championship opponents on Saturday in the Azzurri, they have kept a strong spine to the squad.
That means there are just five changes to the starting XV, and New Zealand have arguably been strengthened with Wallace Sititi, Tupou Vaa’i and Tyrel Lomax coming into the run-on side.
Lomax will earn his 50th All Blacks cap after coming in for Fletcher Newell, while Sititi replaces Peter Lakai, who was quieter than his loose forward team-mates against France, and Vaa’i starts ahead of Josh Lord after recovering from concussion.
The other alterations come in the backline as Billy Proctor potentially gives even more continuity by adding an extra Hurricanes star, to go alongside Jordie Barrett, Ruben Love and Cam Roigard.
An injury to Fehi Fineanganofo potentially prevented there from being a fifth ‘Canes player behind the scrum, with Rennie opting to put Leroy Carter on the left wing instead.
That means the selectors have once again decided not to put any of the rookies in the starting line-up, while the two that debuted against France, Xavier Numia and Fineanganofo, miss out on the 23 this time around.
Two more All Blacks newbies
However, there are a couple more uncapped players among the replacements this weekend as Anton Segner and Josh Moorby get their chance to make their Test debuts.
Segner, who is capable of playing across the back-row, is the versatile loose forward option and joins four other forwards – Samisoni Taukei’aho, George Bower, Pasilio Tosi and Lord – on the bench.
Taukei’aho and Bower take the place of Asafo Aumua and Numia, respectively, while Tosi has recovered from a knock to be the reserve tighthead.
Cortez Ratima and Anton Lienert-Brown retain their places to be two of the backline replacements, with Moorby rounding out the squad to take on Italy in the Nations Championship.
World Cup hero urges Dave Rennie to ‘play everyone’ in All Blacks’ ‘easiest game of the season’
“There are a number of players and combinations who we felt deserved and would benefit from a second successive run, and other players who have earned the right to get their opportunity,” Rennie said.
“We are excited for Josh and Anton to potentially earn their first All Blacks caps, following Xavier, Fehi and Jamie’s debuts against France. Congratulations to Tyrel Lomax who also brings up a special milestone, playing his 50th All Blacks Test.
“This is a strong side to reflect the respect we have for this Italian team. They have shown through the Six Nations competition that they are capable of knocking over any team, so we have prepared for a tough challenge and look forward to facing it in front of a sold-out Wellington crowd.”
All Blacks side to face Italy
All Blacks: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Leroy Carter, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Ardie Savea (c), 7 Luke Jacobson, 6 Wallace Sititi, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Sam Darry, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 George Bower, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Josh Lord, 20 Anton Segner, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Josh Moorby
Date: Saturday, July 11
Venue: Hnry Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 17:10 local (06:10 BST, 05:10 GMT)
Referee: Luc Ramos (FFR)
Assistant referees: Nic Berry (RA), Luke Pearce (RFU)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
FPRO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)