By Gavin Rich.
All Black hooker Codie Taylor reckons he and his teammates have to go into what he calls a dark place in order to front what he considers his nation’s biggest rugby challenge – a clash with the Springboks.
New Zealand’s coach Ian Foster has gone according to what he says was his initial plan by recalling Crusaders flyhalf Richie Mo’unga to his team’s No 10 jersey as one of five changes he has made for Saturday’s Castle Lager Rugby Championship clash with the World Cup champions at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland.
Taylor, who played off the bench when the All Blacks bounced back from defeat in Nelspruit to beat the Boks in Johannesburg last August, is another of those changes. He comes in for veteran hooker Dan Coles, who was the first try scorer for the Kiwis in their emphatic win over Argentina in the opening Championship game in Mendoza last Saturday night.
Taylor did not mince words when he was asked what it meant to be playing against the South Africans and what was needed to beat them.
“Right across the board, they play bloody good footy. They are big men and there is no better challenge as an All Black to go against a South African forward pack,” Taylor said.
“Mentally, you have to get yourself in a pretty dark place to be ready for what’s coming.”
In the other changes to the side that won 41-12 against the Pumas, Will Jordan returns on the right wing while the highly promising Mark Telea will play on the left, with Caleb Clarke, an influential part of the All Black team that played here last year, only fulfilling a bench role this time. In a significant change up front, Brodie Retallick, who boasts a good record against South Africa, returns to the second row, where he partners Scott Barrett, who was the best All Black forward at Emirates Airlines Park last August.
Incredible Depth
Interestingly enough, there are five changes to the side that beat the Pumas, and also five differences to the side that beat the Boks the last time these sides met. One of those is in the second row, where veteran All Black lock Sam Whitelock, who was also influential in the Johannesburg win, is still coming back from injury and Foster elected not to risk him against the South Africans.
One of the other big differences between the team that played last August and the one that will be playing on Saturday is that Jordie Barrett has now settled as the All Black starting inside centre. In Johannesburg he was still playing fullback, a position filled in this game by Jordie’s illustrious brother, Beauden.
It says a lot for the New Zealand depth that they can drop McKenzie as their flyhalf after his heroics in Super Rugby Pacific, but Foster intimated that there was never a debate about the recall of Mo’unga, who was brilliant in Johannesburg 11 months ago.
“I’m pretty excited about their form, they both had big minutes in Super Rugby and now it’s Richie’s turn,” said Foster.
The All Black coach appears to be relishing the prospect of facing the old foe on home turf for the first time since the 16-all draw in Wellington in the 2019 Rugby Championship.
“Any test against South Africa is a special occasion. There is a lot of respect between the two nations and that usually translates to an epic battle on the field,” said Foster.
“It has been four years since we last played South Africa here in New Zealand so that also makes it special.”
Should he come off the bench, Crusaders prop Tamaiti Williams, who tips the scales at 139kg, will make his All Blacks debut.
All Blacks team: Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Mark Telea, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (captain), Shannon Frizell, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot. Replacements: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tamaiti Williams, Nepo Laulala, Tupou Vaa’i, Dalton Papali’i, Finlay Christie, Braydon Ennor, Caleb Clarke.