Sam Cane back in All Blacks team for Boks Test at Ellis Park

Former captain and the man who led the team against the Springboks in last year’s Rugby World Cup final in Paris, Sam Cane, is back in the All Blacks team for Saturday’s Rugby Championship Test against the world champions at Ellis Park, with kick-off at 5pm.

Lock Scott Barrett, who has been the All Blacks’ first-choice captain under new coach Scott Robertson this year, is also back in the side for the match, after missing out on the action against Argentina recently because of a finger injury.

Saturday’s outing will be the first start in the No 7 jersey for Cane since he was shown a red card in last year’s rugby final in Paris, a game the Boks won 12-11, to win their fourth World Cup.

Barrett’s two brothers, Beauden and Jordie, are also in the All Blacks’ starting team this weekend — at fullback and inside centre respectively.

‘Experience and calmness’

“Sam has been incredible off the field for us. It’s an opportunity for him to be that Test veteran we need with that experience and calmness,” All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson told reporters.

In other key selections, Damian McKenzie will start at flyhalf, while Ardie Savea will wear the No 8 jersey.

Since South Africa’s readmission to international sport in 1992, the Boks and All Blacks have met 10 times at Ellis Park, with both teams having won five times.

The All Blacks won at the venue the last time the teams clashed at the ground, 35-23 in 2022.

Robertson said it would be important to have as many players in his team knowing what it was like playing at the ground.

“Ellis Park is an iconic ground, with the whole experience you want as many players as you can who have experienced it before,” he said.

“There will be some tough moments out there. They know what it takes.”

Following this weekend’s match, the teams will meet again, in Cape Town next weekend.

The All Blacks go into the game on the back of a loss and a win against the Pumas in Wellington and Auckland respectively, while the Boks have two wins behind them, following victories against Australia in Brisbane and Perth.

The Boks will be led by Siya Kolisi, with key selections at flyhalf and No 8 where Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Jasper Wiese will play. Coach Rassie Erasmus has also opted to go into the Test with Aphelele Fassi at fullback and Eben Etzebeth on the bench, with Ruan Nortje and Pieter-Steph du Toit starting in the second row.

TEAMS

New Zealand:

Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Damian McKenzie, TJ Perenara, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane, Ethan Blackadder, Tupou Vaa’i, Scott Barrett (capt), Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Tamaiti Williams. Bench: Asafo Aumua, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Sam Darry, Samipeni Finau, Cortez Ratima, Anton Lienert-Brown, Mark Tele’a

South Africa:

Aphelele Fassi, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cobus Reinach, Jasper Wiese, Ben-Jason Dixon, Siya Kolisi (capt), Ruan Nortje, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche. Bench: Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenekamp, Vincent Koch, Eben Etzebeth, Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Grant Williams, Handre Pollard