LUKE JACOBSEN WILL make his first Test start of the year after being named in the All Blacks’ side to face arch-rivals South Africa in a Rugby World Cup warm-up match on Friday.
The back-rower will earn his 15th cap in an experienced pack featuring more than 500 Test appearances as a member of a back-row also including New Zealand captain Sam Cane and Ardie Savea.
This weekend’s game will be the All Blacks’ last fixture ahead of a World Cup in France that starts next month.
A capacity crowd of 82,000 is expected to watch the first match between the superpowers at Twickenham since the All Blacks edged the Springboks in a 2015 World Cup semi-final before lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy.
“This is our final game before the Rugby World Cup and this test is critical in our preparation,” said New Zealand head coach Ian Foster.
“With just two weeks to go, it’s an important opportunity to get us battle-ready for the start of the tournament. These games are always intense and physically challenging, and I’m sure this one will be no different.”
The All Blacks caught World Cup holders the Springboks cold when they last met in July, with New Zealand winning 35-20 in Auckland.
The All Blacks launch the World Cup against hosts France, another of the favourites to take this year’s title, at the Stade de France on September 8.
New Zealand and South Africa are in the same half of the draw for this edition. Depending on pool results, the only teams to win the men’s Rugby World Cup three times could meet each other again in the quarter-finals.
The Springboks, who hammered Wales 52-16 in a warm-up game in Cardiff last weekend, named their team to play the All Blacks on Monday.
New Zealand (v South Africa):
- 15. Beauden Barrett
- 14. Will Jordan
- 13. Rieko Ioane
- 12. Jordie Barrett
- 11. Mark Telea
- 10. Richie Mo’unga
- 9. Aaron Smith
- 1. Ethan de Groot
- 2. Dane Coles
- 3. Tyrel Lomax
- 4. Samuel Whitelock
- 5. Scott Barrett
- 6. Luke Jacobson
- 7. Sam Cane (captain)
- 8. Ardie Savea
Replacements:
- 16. Samisoni Taukei’aho
- 17. Tamaiti Williams
- 18. Fletcher Newell
- 19. Josh Lord
- 20. Tupou Vaa’i
- 21. Dalton Papali’i
- 22. Cam Roigard
- 23. Anton Lienert-Brown
Unrelated but it looks sheenan’s injury isn’t too bad and he’ll be all good for the WC, according to a recently deleted tweet from the Indo
@J M: if you’re wrong I will hunt you down :)
@Gearóid MacEachaidh: if you have reddit you can see a screenshot of said tweet on the rugbyunion subreddit
@J M: unreal news on Sheehan, anyone else have any other news?
@J M: Thats made my day. We have some really good hookers but he gives the team a whole other dimension.
@J M: also hope both teams absolutely bash the crap out of each other
Will we be blown away again in the first 20 min with that AB pace? .. Going to be very interesting to see (doubt it though, plenty of rugby match time since then .. Fully expecting the boks to throw the kitchen sink. Very strong sides… Some more height in the bok backline obviously to counter the Aerial bombardment.. .. No better prep than this win or lose…
@Stuart: long as beat lumps out of each other i be happy
@Stuart: Depends which NZ shows up, they were poor against Aus in their last game and just flew to London this week, they may be rusty
@Owen ODonoghue: well they are pretty Much are at full strength… If we can slow down that quick ball (like the other top 3/4 sides in the world in the rwc), we should be able to strangle the life out of them and unleash the kraken…
Anyone know if there is somewhere we can watch this? I thought Amazon might be showing some of the games last week but they didn’t.
@Gearóid MacEachaidh: aren’t Sky Sports showing it ? If ya had a dodgy box it’s on the South African channel Super Sport … apparently
@Noel Roe: used to have a dodgy box but not for a long time. If its on Sky I know a way around it. Cheers.
@Gearóid MacEachaidh: according to Flashscore, it’s on Sky Sports Mix
@Gearóid MacEachaidh: Sometimes Premier Sports are late updating their schedule on the TV Guide, so it could still turn up there. Every rugby fan in the world wants to see this game, it’s sold out, so must be somewhere!
@John McNamara: checked – confirmed that on my programme guide. Yippee!
@John McNamara: cheers John
@John Morris: thanks guys
@Gearóid MacEachaidh: sky showcase
@Gearóid MacEachaidh:
Its on sky sports mix
South Africa have a pretty amazing warm up schedule, they’ll arrive to the ireland game with NZ, Aus, Arg Wales and Scottish games under their belt
@Owen ODonoghue: Ireland have beaten all of the above on their winning run to the SA match – oh, and include SA and France too!