LIVE on Sky Sport – Sunday 9 November: All Blacks vs Scotland, 4:10AM (NZST). Highlights available on NZR+ and All Blacks YouTube.
All Blacks match-day 23 (Test caps in brackets)
1. Ethan de Groot (38)
2. Codie Taylor (104) (Vice-Captain)
3. Fletcher Newell (32)
4. Josh Lord (9)
5. Fabian Holland (10)
6. Wallace Sititi (16)
7. Ardie Savea (104) (Captain)
8. Peter Lakai (6)
9. Cam Roigard (15)
10. Beauden Barrett (142) (Vice-Captain)
11. Caleb Clarke (31)
12. Quinn Tupaea (22)
13. Leicester Fainga’anuku (9)
14. Leroy Carter (4)
15. Will Jordan (51)
16. Samisoni Taukei’aho (40)
17. Tamaiti Williams (24)
18. Pasilio Tosi (13)
19. Sam Darry (6)
20. Du’Plessis Kirifi (6)
21. Cortez Ratima (19)
22. Billy Proctor (9)
23. Damian McKenzie (71)
Unavailable for selection: Scott Barrett (leg laceration) Jordie Barrett (high ankle).
With last week’s Captain and Vice-Captain, brothers Scott and Jordie Barrett, ruled out with injury, Josh Lord and Leicester Fainga’anuku will start at lock and centre respectively. That sees Sam Darry enter the 23 as lock cover, while the midfield reshuffle means Quinn Tupaea will start at second-five and Billy Proctor will come onto the bench.
The only other change to the line-up that beat Ireland in Chicago is in the loose forwards, with Wallace Sititi starting at blindside flanker this week and Du’Plessis Kirifi coming into the side in an impact role.
Ardie Savea will captain the side on Saturday afternoon in Edinburgh, with Codie Taylor and Beauden Barrett on vice-captain duties.
Scotland will be celebrating 100 years of international rugby at Murrayfield with this Test, while the All Blacks will be aiming to retain their 120-year winning streak against Scotland. All Blacks Head Coach Scott Robertson said these records will add to the occasion and give both teams plenty of motivation heading into the match.
“We are honoured to be part of the 100th anniversary of rugby at Murrayfield, it will be a special occasion. We have a proud history with Scotland and recent games between us have been close. We have named the best team to reflect the challenge we know Scotland will present.”
MATCH FACTS
- The All Blacks remain unbeaten against Scotland in a rivalry going back to 1905. On November 18, ten days after the match at Murrayfield, the unbeaten streak reaches its 120th anniversary.
- This will be the 20th time the All Blacks have played Scotland at Murrayfield, and the sides have drawn there twice.
- New Zealand has only played Scotland twice in the past decade, with the last match being in 2022. The last three matches have seen wins of only eight, five and eight points successively.
- In 1946, the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces team, known as the 'Kiwis', played against a strong Scotland team on January 19. Scotland won the match 11-6. These were part of the 'Victory Internationals' series, and neither country awarded caps, although teams were close to the strongest available for national selection at the time.
- Beauden Barrett is the only member of the current squad to start twice against Scotland, and the only to play three matches in total. Nobody in the current group has scored more than one try against Scotland (Codie Taylor, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Scott Barrett, Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie have each scored one try against Scotland). Beauden Barrett has scored the most points against Scotland (12).
