(Reuters) – Winger Mark Telea will make his New Zealand debut on Sunday after being named in the starting lineup to take on Scotland at Murrayfield.
All Blacks coach Ian Foster on Friday again tinkered with his selection with three changes in the forward pack and six switches in the backline for Sunday’s game, their third on tour after beating both Japan and Wales.
Auckland Blues back Telea, 25, has been a squad member since coming in as COVID-19 cover during the Rugby Championship and now gets a first cap on the right wing.
Beauden Barrett has been switched from fullback to flyhalf in place of Richie Mo’unga, who kicked 11 points in last Saturday’s dominant 55-23 win over Wales in Cardiff, with brother Jordie Barrett moving from centre to fullback.
David Havili and Anton Lienert-Brown start after both being used as replacements in the last two tests.
Finlay Christie will win a third cap at scrumhalf playing against the country of his birth, where he lived until his family moved to New Zealand when he was seven years old.
In the forward pack, Samisoni Taukei’aho comes in at hooker, Nepo Laulala at tighthead prop and Akira Ioane at blindside flanker. The new faces in the replacements are loosehead prop George Bower, halfback TJ Perenara and utility back Stephen Perofeta.
Team: 15-Jordie Barrett, 14-Mark Telea 13-Anton Lienert-Brown, 12-David Havili, 11-Caleb Clarke, 10-Beauden Barrett, 9-Finlay Christie, 8-Ardie Savea, 7-Dalton Papali’i, 6-Akira Ioane 5-Scott Barrett, 4-Sam Whitelock (captain), 3-Nepo Laulala, 2-Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1-Ethan de Groot
Replacements: 16-Codie Taylor, 17-George Bower, 18-Fletcher Newell, 19-Tuou Vaa’i, 20-Shannon Frizell, 21-TJ Perenara, 22-Stephen Perofeta, 23-Rieko Ione.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Davis)
