Razor’s ‘difficult conversation’ with All Blacks stars on bench, Jordan selected at 15th, rookie ‘overwhelmed’ at 6th

Will Jordan has been named at fullback for the All Blacks’ game against the Springboks in Cape Town, with Beauden Barrett on the bench and Scott Robertson making four changes to the starting 15 that lost in Johannesburg.

Robertson has called on experienced players to make up the bench in an apparent response to the All Blacks’ disappointing performance last weekend, when his team blew a 10-point lead at the end.

That means rookie halfback Cortes Latima will start ahead of TJ Perenara. There is also a gamble in the back row as No. 8 Wallace City will be given his first Test start and second game in the No. 6 shirt after injury to Ethan Blackladder. Dalton Papaly was deemed fit but was not selected.

“Obviously we looked at it and realised that at the end of the game the experience was really important,” Robertson said in a news conference.

“We’ve got two great players there with a lot of testing and a lot of experience. They’ll come in and finish the job for us.”

Robertson admitted he was disappointed that Barrett and Perenara were not selected for the starting lineup.

“It’s a tough conversation,” Robertson told reporters. “They’re a great team and have been around for a long time. They know that the All Blacks jersey is very important to all of us.

“If they have to come and finish the job, they will. You have to be really respectful in that conversation and tell them why. They understand, but they want to get started.

“They want to play most of the game, but how they finish the game is key.

“Obviously last week we gave them a chance with 10 minutes left and a bit of (bad) discipline. We gave them too many chances inside the 22 yards.

“It was a small difference and throughout the game, it was test football. So we looked back at all the efforts and focused on where we could improve. One of them was obviously finishing the game.”

Caleb Clarke was ruled out of last weekend’s Test match at Ellis Park with a back injury, and Jordan will be the second All Black to make the switch from right wing to full-back for the first time in 2024.

City T is coming in as a replacement for Blackladder, who is unable to compete due to tight thigh muscles.

Luke Jacobson joins the reserve squad.

City didn’t spend much time in the No.6 role, last playing a few games for his club “North Harbour”.

“I think it’s going to be a big change, but if you prepare well over the weekend and get your reps right, everything will be fine,” City said.

CityT, who played for the Chiefs development team earlier this year, has grown considerably.

“I still feel a little overwhelmed, but I’m just excited and want to do it,” he said.

Asked what he can bring to the All Blacks this week, he said: “I think the most important thing is the ability to play for the full 80 minutes. The ability to maintain that level throughout the game. As we all know, it’s a physical game so I expect that to be the case this week.”

All Blacks match on the 23rd (Test cap in parentheses)
 
1. Tamaithi Williams (10)
2. Cody Taylor (90)
3. Tyrell Lomax (37)
4. Scott Barrett (73) (Captain)
5. Two-four bye (31)
6. Wallace Street (2)
7. Sam Cain (97)
8. Ardi Savea (87) (Vice Captain)
9. Cortes Latima (5)
10. Damien McKenzie (53)
11. Mark Telea (14)
12. Jordie Barrett (63) (Vice Captain)
13. Ioane Rieco (74)
14. Detailed lease (27)
15. Will Jordan (34)

16. Asafo Aumua (12)
17. Opa Tuungapasi (62)
18. Fletcher Newell (19)
19. Agent Sam (4)
20. Luke Jacobson (21)
21. TJ Perenara (85)
22. Anton Lienert-Brown (76)
23. Beauden Barrett (129)

More to come