Beauden Barrett (R) has replaced Damian McKenzie (L) in NZ’s starting No.10 jersey for Bledisloe II. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has moved Damian McKenzie on from No.10 as he searches for answers to New Zealand’s scratchy form under his tenure.
Beauden Barrett will start from the pivotal position on Saturday when the All Blacks take on the Wallabies, with the Bledisloe Cup already secured for a 22nd straight year courtesy of their 31-28 win in Sydney.
Barrett, the 130-Test veteran, hasn’t started from five-eighth since 2022.
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McKenzie had been picked in all eight Tests this year, with Robertson backing in the 29-year-old as a successor to Richie Mo’unga.
Mo’unga – Robertson’s trusted lieutenant for a string of Super Rugby successes at the Crusaders – is ineligible for selection as he plays his club rugby in Japan.
McKenzie instead will start on the bench in Wellington, as one of three changes, all in the backline.
Jordie Barrett is out with a knee injury suffered in the Accor Stadium win, while Cortez Ratima has also moved to the reserves.
TJ Perenara also comes in at No.9 with Anton-Lienert Brown at 12.
New Zealand will be packed with experience at Sky Stadium, with all but one of the run-on team – blindside flanker Wallace Sititi – with at least 20 Tests.
Both Perenara and former captain Sam Cane, who will earn his 100th cap, are likely to turn out for the All Blacks in New Zealand for the last time.
Both are off to play club rugby in Japan next season, making them ineligible for national team selection.
“This will be a particularly special night for Sam and TJ and the boys will put in a performance that honours their contribution to this team,” Robertson said.
“As a Wellington man and the most-capped Hurricane of all time, we know that TJ is a crowd favourite in the capital and we look forward to him expressing himself on the field in front of friends and whanau at home.”
The All Blacks defeated Australia 31-28 last Saturday and are firm favourites to back up their road win with a home success given the Wallabies have not beaten the Kiwis in New Zealand since 2001.
However, they cannot with the Rugby Championship after an inconsistent run in the southern hemisphere championship.
Robertson, a seven-time Super Rugby winner with the Crusaders, has failed to carry his club form to the national team so far.
In the past two months, New Zealand have lost twice to South Africa and a home Test to Argentina to sit third in the standings – above only the hapless Australia.
ALL BLACKS TEAM FOR BLEDISLOE II:
Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor, Tyrel Lomax, Scott Barrett (capt), Tupou Vaa’i, Wallace Sititi, Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Anton Lienert-Brown, Rieko Ioane, Sevu Reece, Will Jordan. Reserves: Asafo Aumua, Tamaiti Williams, Pasilio Tosi, Patrick Tuipulotu, Luke Jacobson, Cortez Ratima, Damian McKenzie, David Havili.
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