LONDON :Beauden Barrett will start at flyhalf for New Zealand against England on Saturday, with his brothers Scott and Jordie also in the powerful-looking side named by coach Scott Robertson on Thursday.
After an experimental side hammered Japan last week, Robertson returns to his strongest lineup for the first match of the team’s November tour that also includes games against Ireland, France and Italy.
Beauden Barrett reclaims the 10 jersey from Damian McKenzie, who had been first choice in almost all Robertson’s games, including the two July wins over England, before Barrett stepped in the for the final Rugby Championship game against Australia. McKenzie is on the bench on Saturday.
Jordie Barrett, who missed the Australia match though injury, is at inside centre and Scott Barrett captains the side from the second row.
With injuries depriving Robertson of several back-row options, Sam Cane starts at openside, with Wallace Sititi at six and the peerless Ardie Savea at number eight.
Cortez Ratima starts at scrumhalf with Cam Roigard, who played his first test of the year against Japan after injury, covering from the bench.
England coach Steve Borthwick named his team on Tuesday, two days earlier than planned, as he prepares for a third successive tilt at the All Blacks.
England have a terrible record against them since chalking up back-to-back wins in 2002 and 2003. They have lost 17 of the 20 meetings since, with their only wins coming at Twickenham in 2012 and in the 2019 World Cup semi-final. They drew their last game at Twickenham in 2022.
The last two games in July were close, and England led late on in both but went down 16-15 in Dunedin and 24-17 in Auckland.
“While we have met England twice this year already, four months is a long time in rugby and we know that both teams are different to the ones that met in New Zealand in July,” Robertson said.
“Twickenham is such an iconic place to play and the roar of the crowd there is like few others. The All Blacks have had some fierce battles there in recent years and that’s a challenge that we will step forward to.”
New Zealand team to play England on Saturday
1. Tamaiti Williams (15 caps) 2. Codie Taylor (93) 3. Tyrel Lomax (40) 4. Scott Barrett (76) (Captain) 5. Tupou Vaa’i (34) 6. Wallace Sititi (6) 7. Sam Cane (101) 8. Ardie Savea (90) (Vice-Captain) 9. Cortez Ratima (8) 10. Beauden Barrett (131) 11. Caleb Clarke (25) 12. Jordie Barrett (65) (Vice-Captain) 13. Rieko Ioane (77) 14. Mark Tele’a (16) 15. Will Jordan (37)
Replacements:
16. Asafo Aumua (16) 17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi (64) 18. Pasilio Tosi (4) 19. Patrick Tuipulotu (47) 20. Samipeni Finau (5) 21. Cam Roigard (6) 22. Anton Lienert-Brown (80) 23. Damian McKenzie (57)
