Richie Mo'unga not the only new face in All Blacks team to play Lions
The All Blacks have announced an overhauled squad for their final midweek match against the Lions, featuring the return of Richie Mo'unga at fly-half. Several new players, including Saula Ma'u and Semisi Ta'eiloa, are set to make their debuts or first starts in a high-stakes physical encounter.
Why it matters
This match is critical for testing squad depth and maintaining momentum in the high-profile Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.
Patrick Tuipulotu will captain an overhauled All Blacks team to play the Lions in the final midweek game of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test series.
The headline selection, long expected since his highly anticipated return to camp, is Richie Mo’unga coming in at 10. It will be Mo’unga’s first appearance in a black jersey since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final. The playmaker will link up with Beauden Barrett, who starts at fullback, and will be backed up on the bench by Josh Jacomb.
Other new faces to the tour, Noah Hotham and Saula Ma’u, will get their first minutes in South Africa, the latter coming into the game as uncapped. Both Jamie Hannah and Ofa Tu’ungafasi are straight off the plane and onto the field after coming in as cover for Ethan de Groot and Josh Lord, who went down in Saturday’s dramatic win over the Springboks.
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