Rennie hands Parker starting role against Springboks as Lord injury reshapes All Blacks pack

Simon Parker will start at blindside flanker for New Zealand against South Africa in Cape Town on Saturday after lock Josh Lord was ruled out through injury, forcing All Blacks interim head coach Dave Rennie to reshuffle his forward pack ahead of the second Test of the Rugby Championship series.

Lord’s absence has seen Tupou Vaa’i move from the back row back into the second row, with Parker — listed at 197 cm and 117 kg — slotting into the No. 6 jersey. Rennie was direct about the reasoning behind the call, framing it as a deliberate tactical decision rather than a simple like-for-like replacement.

“He really suits us playing the Africans. That’s been a big part of the reason why we brought him in late last week,” Rennie said. “He’s physical, he gives us a bit of size at six, especially with Tupou moving in. Simon’s been really good on tour.”

Parker, who made his Test debut during the 2025 Rugby Championship, had been omitted from every matchday squad during the July series under Rennie before earning a recall for this tour. He came on earlier than planned in the first Test in Johannesburg after Lord was injured in the 37th minute, and his performance in that cameo — along with a strong outing against the Bulls midweek — convinced the selectors to hand him the start.

The selection also reflects a broader concern from the first Test, where New Zealand conceded 101 fewer post-contact metres than South Africa. Rennie sees Parker’s carrying ability and defensive work as central to closing that gap in Cape Town.

“We still think that we can utilise Tupou on the edge playing that role he played as a six, and Simon in the middle of the park, where he’s excellent — all the hard stuff, defending and cleaning out,” Rennie added.

Rennie’s options at lock were further limited by a midweek fixture against the Lions, which required his remaining second-rows to play a full 80 minutes at altitude just four days before the Cape Town Test.

Rising 23-year-old back-row Peter Lakai retains his place among the replacements, offering cover across all three loose forward positions as the X-factor off the bench.

For Parker, the start caps a patient wait. He acknowledged there had been no guarantee of game time after rejoining the squad, and said he had taken on board feedback from the coaching staff during a Nations Champions campaign in which he saw no minutes.

“It’s just exciting to get your opportunity,” Parker told reporters in Cape Town. “Just looking forward to playing my part on Saturday and getting stuck in.”