All Blacks team named to play Stormers in Cape Town

All Blacks

2 hours agoBy: Alan Brown

All Blacks Head Coach Dave Rennie has named his team to play the Stormers at DHL Stadium, Cape Town, on Friday 7 August in the opening match of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour.

Lock Patrick Tuipulotu to lead the side against the Stormers

MATCH DETAILS: Kick off 7.10PM local time (5.10AM Saturday 8 August NZT), LIVE on Sky Sport. Highlights available on allblacks.com and the All Blacks and Black Ferns app. Find out more about the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Tour HERE.

All Blacks match-day 23

Test caps and non-Test games in brackets; * indicates first All Blacks appearance:

1.   George Bower (26, 0)

2. Samisoni Taukei’aho (44, 0)

3.   Pasilio Tosi (17, 0)

4.   Fabian Holland (12, 0)

5. Patrick Tuipulotu (57, 2) (Captain)

6.   Simon Parker (8, 0)

7.   Peter Lakai (10, 0)

8.   Wallace Sititi (21, 0)

9.   Cortez Ratima (24, 0)

10.  Beauden Barrett (144, 1)

11.  Rieko Ioane (88, 0)

12. Anton Lienert-Brown (90, 1)

13.  Billy Proctor (13, 0)

14. Leroy Carter (7, 0)

15. Josh Moorby (2, 0)

Reserves:

16.  Asafo Aumua (22, 2)

17.  Ollie Norris (3, 0)

18. Siale Lauaki *

19.  Sam Darry (10, 0)

20.  Ethan Blackadder (14, 0)

21.  Kyle Preston (1, 0)

22.  Josh Jacomb *

23.  Caleb Clarke (35, 0)

WATCH: Loose Forwards Simon Parker and Wallace Sititi look forward to Stormers clash

Prop Siale Lauaki and inside back Josh Jacomb look set to make their All Blacks debut from the bench, while seven other All Blacks will be making their first appearance in the black jersey this year: forwards Ollie Norris, Fabian Holland, Simon Parker and Ethan Blackadder; and Kyle Preston, Beauden Barrett and Rieko Ioane in the backs.

Lock Patrick Tuipulotu will captain the All Blacks for the second time after previously captaining the side against Japan in October 2024.

“Firstly, I want to congratulate the new All Blacks Siale and Josh. It will be a very exciting and proud day for them and their families,” Head Coach Dave Rennie said.

“We’ve had a great welcome in Cape Town and we’re excited to get this Tour underway.

“We are really pleased with how our leaders, including match day captain Patrick and tour captain Codie, have prepared the group. We can’t wait for Friday.

We’re

well

aware

of

how

good

this

Stormers

side

is.

They

made

the

semifinals

of

the

United

Rugby

Championship

last

year

and

they

are

a

big,

physical

side

with

a

mix

of

talented

youngsters

and

Springboks,

so

we

are

preparing

for

a

real

war

of

attrition.
Dave Rennie

MATCH FACTS

The All Blacks will be playing an historic first ever match against the Stormers. The team played their predecessor Western Province five times, for three wins (1949, 1960 and 1970) and two losses to the All Blacks in 1928 and 1976..
The Stormers match will be the All Blacks second appearance at DHL Stadium. All ten previous Test matches in Cape Town were played at Newlands.
In total the All Blacks have played 25 times in Cape Town, for 17 wins, seven losses and one draw.