{"id":582230,"date":"2025-11-20T09:25:16","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T09:25:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/582230\/"},"modified":"2025-11-20T09:25:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T09:25:16","slug":"all-blacks-overhaul-starting-xv-with-13-changes-for-wales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/582230\/","title":{"rendered":"All Blacks overhaul starting XV with 13 changes for Wales"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Scott Robertson has overhauled his matchday 23 for the All Blacks<\/a>\u2018 final Test of the year, with nine new starters and an all-new bench named to play Wales<\/a> in Cardiff.<\/p>\n

Of the starters from a week ago in London, just Scott Barrett<\/a>, Simon Parker<\/a> and Caleb Clarke<\/a> remain in the same jerseys they ran out at Twickenham in, while Will Jordan<\/a> and Wallace Sititi<\/a> have kept a starting role, although in different positions.<\/p>\n

Sititi has been named at No.8 as Peter Lakai<\/a> is sidelined with a calf complaint, while Jordan has been shifted to the right wing to accommodate Ruben Love<\/a> at fullback. Sititi joins Simon Parker and Du\u2019Plessis Kirifi<\/a> in the starting loose forward trio, backed up by Christian Lio-Willie<\/a> on the bench. Sevu Reece<\/a> offers impact at outside back, covering Clarke, Jordan, and Love from the bench.<\/p>\n

A heavyweight trio is set to bring plenty of punch in the front row, with Tamaiti Williams<\/a>, Samisoni Taukei\u2019aho<\/a>, and Pasilio Tosi all in line for a start. Crusaders<\/a> trio George Bell<\/a>, George Bower<\/a>, and Fletcher Newell<\/a> have been named in the reserve unit.<\/p>\n

Barrett joins Fabian Holland<\/a> in the starting second row, with the rookie now recovered from the illness that sidelined him for the Twickenham tussle. Josh Lord<\/a> will look to continue his strong form off the bench.<\/p>\n

Chiefs<\/a> duo Cortez Ratima<\/a> and Damian McKenzie<\/a> will run out as the starting halves duo, with Finlay Christie<\/a> named in the No.21 jersey.<\/p>\n

Leicester<\/a> Fainga\u2019anuku will also offer impact off the bench, with Anton Lienert-Brown<\/a> and Rieko Ioane<\/a> selected as the starting midfielders.<\/p>\n

Scott Robertson said: \u201cWe have a lot to play for this weekend \u2013 we want to put on a performance that reflects the effort and pride we have put in, and that is a fitting farewell to Jason, Robbo and Coops (Assistant Coach Jason Holland; NZR CEO Mark Robinson<\/a> and NZR President Matthew Cooper).<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do not underestimate the passion and resolve that Wales will bring, and we know how organised, accurate and ruthless we need to be in return.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Head-to-Head <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Last 5 Meetings<\/p>\n

Average Points scored<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

All Blacks team to play Wales<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Tamaiti Williams (26)<\/li>\n
  2. Samisoni Taukei\u2019aho (42)<\/li>\n
  3. Pasilio Tosi (15)<\/li>\n
  4. Scott Barrett (88) (Captain)<\/li>\n
  5. Fabian Holland (11)<\/li>\n
  6. Simon Parker (7)<\/li>\n
  7. Du\u2019Plessis Kirifi (7)<\/li>\n
  8. Wallace Sititi (18)<\/li>\n
  9. Cortez Ratima (20)<\/li>\n
  10. Damian McKenzie (73)<\/li>\n
  11. Caleb Clarke (32)<\/li>\n
  12. Anton Lienert-Brown (87)<\/li>\n
  13. Rieko Ioane (87)<\/li>\n
  14. Will Jordan (53)<\/li>\n
  15. Ruben Love (4)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Reserves<\/strong><\/p>\n

    16.\u00a0George Bell (3)
    17.?\u00a0Fletcher Newell (34)
    18.\u00a0George Bower (24)
    19.?Josh Lord (11)
    20.?Christian Lio-Willie (3)
    21.\u00a0Finlay Christie (27)
    22.?Leicester Fainga\u2019anuku (11)
    23.\u00a0Sevu\u00a0Reece (36)<\/p>\n

    Unavailable for\u00a0selection:<\/b>\u00a0Peter Lakai (calf),\u00a0Tevita\u00a0Mafileo\u00a0(rib), Luke Jacobson<\/a> (concussion),\u00a0Samipeni\u00a0Finau (family illness), Jordie Barrett<\/a> (high ankle).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Scott Robertson has overhauled his matchday 23 for the All Blacks\u2018 final Test of the year, with nine…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":582231,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4102],"tags":[4151,79,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-582230","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rugby","8":"tag-rugby","9":"tag-sports","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115581310428018796","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/582230","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=582230"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/582230\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/582231"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=582230"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=582230"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=582230"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}