Scott Barrett will make his return from injury to lead the All Blacks in their upcoming Rugby Championship match against South Africa in Johannesburg. Barrett had been sidelined due to a finger injury, missing the previous two home tests against Argentina.
Former captain Sam Cane will also make his first start of the season at open-side flanker after appearing as a replacement in the last test against Argentina. Cane’s last start for the All Blacks was in the Rugby World Cup final last year where he was sent off for a high tackle.
Head coach Scott Robertson has largely retained the lineup from the last match against Argentina, with Barrett replacing Sam Darry in the second row and Cane stepping in for the injured Dalton Papali’i. The backline remains unchanged.
This upcoming test will be the third for both teams in the Rugby Championship and marks their first encounter since the Rugby World Cup final. South Africa emerged victorious in that match with a narrow 12-11 win.
Cane, who underwent back surgery earlier this year and did not play in Super Rugby, will be eager to make an impact in his return to the starting lineup. Scott Robertson’s side has been dealing with the resignation of assistant coach Leon MacDonald following the differences on coaching matters.
Both teams have named their match-day 23, with New Zealand featuring names like Beauden Barrett, Ardie Savea, and Damian McKenzie in the starting lineup, while South Africa has players like Siya Kolisi and Cheslin Kolbe taking the field.