(Reuters) – Former All Blacks skipper Sam Cane is set to return to test rugby off the bench on Saturday as New Zealand look to put their Rugby Championship campaign back on track against Argentina at Auckland’s Eden Park.
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Former skipper Cane will retire from internationals at the season but earns a recall for the match after Scott Robertson’s side were humbled 38-30 by the Pumas in their tournament opener in Wellington last week.
Robertson has responded to the defeat with four changes to the starting side and an overhaul of his backline.
Will Jordan was promoted into the starting line-up on the right wing, Caleb Clarke comes in for Sevu Reece on the left and Rieko Ioane has been restored to outside centre in place of Anton Lienert-Brown.
Tamaiti Williams will start at loosehead prop for Ethan de Groot, who has a neck injury.
Lienert-Brown and winger Mark Tele’a drop to a bench also featuring 95-cap flanker Cane, who will cover the back row in place of youngster Wallace Sititi.
“We’ve reflected deeply on our performance and our preparation individually and collectively is something we have all owned,” Robertson said in a news release.
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“Our intent and focus has shifted solely to Eden Park.”
The All Blacks have not been beaten at Eden Park since 1994.
New Zealand team:
15-Beauden Barrett, 14-Will Jordan, 13-Rieko Ioane, 12-Jordie Barrett, 11-Caleb Clarke, 10-Damian McKenzie, 9-TJ Perenara, 8-Ardie Savea (captain), 7-Dalton Papali’i, 6-Ethan Blackadder, 5-Sam Darry, 4-Tupou Vaa’i, 3-Tyrel Lomax, 2-Codie Taylor, 1-Tamaiti Williams
Replacements: 16-Asafo Aumua, 17-Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18-Fletcher Newell, 19-Josh Lord, 20-Sam Cane, 21-Cortez Ratima, 22-Anton Lienert-Brown, 23-Mark Tele’a
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Stephen Coates)
-Thestar