New Zealand play their final pool stage match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup tomorrow night, as they take on Uruguay in Lyon. The All Blacks are back firing on all cylinders, after their dominant 96-17 win over Italy last Friday.
The All Blacks look all but set to join France in the quarter-finals, and progress out of Pool A in fine form. Ian Fosters men have certainly bounced back from the opening round defeat to Les Bleus, with Captain Sam Cane set to make his return to the starting XV against Uruguay.
After missing New Zealand’s pool stage matches against France and Namibia with a back injury, Cane made an off-the-bench appearance against Italy last time out. Now the back-rower is ready to lead from the off, with the All Blacks eyeing up another high-scoring statement of intent ahead of the knock-out stages.
Foster has made nine changes from the side that took on Italy, with some historic milestone’s being achieved in the second row. Sam Whitelock starts for his 150th test cap, and in doing so surpasses Richie McCaw’s long standing record to become the most capped All Black of all time. Whitelock will also run out for his 23rd Rugby World Cup match, and will break the record set by McCaw, and legendary England prop Jason Leonard.
Victory for the All Blacks will also see Whitelock record the most Rugby World Cup wins out of any player, for his 21st tournament match victory.
Just legendary Wales and British Lions’ lock Alun Wyn Jones stands between Whitelock and the mantle of most capped test player ever, with 170. There is a real sense of old and new in the All Blacks squad, as 22-year-old Cam Roigard comes in to start, in a first-time halfback partnership with Richie Mo’unga. Damien McKenzie replaces Beauden Barrett at fullback, as the two-time World Rugby Player of the Year drops to the bench.
Only Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Codie Taylor, Shannon Frizell, Richie Mo’unga, Jordie Barrett and Will Jordan retain their places from the win over the ‘Azzurri’. On the bench, Ethan Blackadder is eagerly anticipating his Rugby World Cup debut. His father, Todd Blackadder, played 12 tests for the All Blacks from 1999 to 2000.
NEW ZEALAND TEAM TO FACE URUGUAY – 2023 RUGBY WORLD CUP
15. Damien McKenzie
14. Will Jordan
13. Anton Linert-Brown
12. Jordie Barrett
11. Leicester Fainga’anuku
10. Richie Mo’unga
9. Cam Roigard
1. Ofa Tu’ungafasi
2. Codie Taylor
3. Tyrel Lomax
4. Samuel Whitelock
5. Tupou Vaa’i
6. Shannon Frizell
7. Sam Cane (c)
8. Luke Jacobson
Replacements:
16 Samisoni Taukei’aho
17 Tamaiti Williams
18 Fletcher Newell
19 Scott Barrett
20 Ethan Blackadder
21 Finlay Christie
22 Beauden Barrett
23 Caleb Clarke