Mo'unga returns and Tuipulotu captains overhauled All Blacks side to face Lions

Richie Mo’unga will wear the black jersey for the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final as New Zealand name a heavily overhauled side to face the British and Irish Lions in the final midweek match of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, with Patrick Tuipulotu captaining the team.

Mo’unga slots in at fly-half and will partner Beauden Barrett, who starts at fullback, with Josh Jacomb providing cover from the bench. The playmaker’s return has been widely anticipated since he rejoined the All Blacks camp, and the midweek fixture gives head coach Dave Rennie the ideal platform to reintegrate him ahead of the remaining Tests.

Among the other new faces, scrum-half Noah Hotham and prop Saula Ma’u earn their first minutes of the tour in South Africa, with Ma’u set to make his full international debut off the bench. Semisi Ta’eiloa and Timoci Tavatavanawai have been handed their first All Blacks starts, at number eight and twelve respectively, while Jamie Hannah and Ofa Tu’ungafasi travel straight from the plane to the matchday squad as injury cover for Ethan de Groot and Josh Lord, both of whom were hurt in Saturday’s first Test win over the Springboks.

Peter Lakai, Anton Lienert-Brown and Kyle Preston return to the bench after featuring against South Africa, with Preston the only All Black to have played every game of the tour.

“Firstly, I want to congratulate Saula on making his All Blacks debut. It will be a special day for him and his family,” Rennie said. “With the naming of this matchday 23, everyone currently in the squad will have played on tour, which is great for creating depth and competition for places in the Test team.”

Rennie acknowledged the compressed schedule, with the Lions fixture arriving just three days after the first Test, but expressed confidence in his squad’s preparation. “We know we will have to be at our very best again to prepare for what we know will be another physical match against a Lions side that has been lying in wait,” he added.

All Blacks team to face the Lions

1. Siale Lauaki; 2. Samisoni Taukei’aho; 3. Pasilio Tosi; 4. Sam Darry; 5. Patrick Tuipulotu (c); 6. Wallace Sititi; 7. Ethan Blackadder; 8. Semisi Ta’eiloa; 9. Noah Hotham; 10. Richie Mo’unga; 11. Emoni Narawa; 12. Timoci Tavatavanawai; 13. Rieko Ioane; 14. Fehi Fineanganofo; 15. Beauden Barrett.

Reserves: 16. Bradley Slater; 17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi; 18. Saula Ma’u; 19. Jamie Hannah; 20. Peter Lakai; 21. Kyle Preston; 22. Josh Jacomb; 23. Anton Lienert-Brown.