Taylor returns to captain All Blacks in Baltimore while Mo’unga starts at 10

All Black head coach Dave Rennie has named his team to play South Africa at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Saturday in the fourth and final Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry presented by Castle Double Malt.

The team for the final Test includes several changes to the side that played in Soweto, Johannesburg last weekend, with Ardie Savea, Luke Jacobson and Quinn Tupaea all ruled out with injury and Fabian Holland also unavailable due to illness.

Prop Fletcher Newell, lock Patrick Tuipulotu, loose forward Ethan Blackadder, flyhalf Richie Mo’unga and centre Anton Lienert-Brown will all make their first Test starts of the series.

In other changes to the 23, prop Ethan de Groot and lock Josh Lord both return for the first time since leaving the field in the first Test, having progressed through the World Rugby concussion protocols.

Codie Taylor returns as starting hooker and will captain the side, while Asafo Aumua shifts to the reserves. Tighthead props Fletcher Newell and Tyrel Lomax also switch this week, with Newell taking the starting spot.

With Patrick Tuipulotu coming in to partner Sam Darry at lock, Tupou Vaa’i shifts back to blindside flanker to join Peter Lakai and Ethan Blackadder in the loose forward trio.

Josh Moorby takes the left wing and Rieko Ioane and Beauden Barrett both enter the 23 as backs cover.

“We always planned for there to be a number of changes for this match. Every player here has worked incredibly hard over the last seven weeks to prepare the team for the seven games we’ve played so far, and all those selected for this Test fully deserve it,” Rennie said.

“We have everything to play for on Saturday. It is our chance to draw the series and end the tour with a performance to be proud of.

“We have had incredible support travelling with us throughout the tour and amazing support back at home. We want to put in a performance that shows how much we appreciate that. We also want to honour the players and management who have returned home early but contributed so much.”

Rennie stressed at the team’s media conference that it was not an out of the blue decision for the fixture at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium.

"Regardless of the result at Soweto, whether we came here up 2-1 or down 2-1, we were gonna start Richie," said Rennie, who heaped praise on the man Mo’unga has replaced, Ruben Love.

"Last week was probably the biggest Test the All Blacks have played since the World Cup final. And we trusted (Love) to run the ship ahead of probably three more experienced 10s. That highlights where we see him."

The depth created by Mo’unga’s recent return has been a massive positive, Rennie added.

"While they're competing, competing, competing against each other, they're also helping each other grow. Ruben's been really smart. He's got beside a lot of those guys and talked a lot of footy and it's really good for our group."

Beauden Barrett moves onto the bench, the first time in this series that Rennie has named a specific flyhalf back up in the reserves.

"It's been tough for Beauden. He's sat on the sidelines for the first six Tests of the year and he's been phenomenal. His contribution to the group has been excellent and he's trained really well, so it's awesome to give him an opportunity."

Mo’unga’s inclusion for his first Test since the 2023 World Cup final will be a chance to play a leading role in an attempt to level the Greatest Rivalry series at two wins each. The attrition rate for the All Blacks has been high, with over 50 players used, but Rennie said the way the tour has brought the team together has been invaluable.

"Everyone talked about what a long tour it's gonna be and it's just flown by. It's a real testament to the group, our staff and our players that everyone's still fully engaged. We're well aware that we're missing some key players, but it's a great opportunity for our guys to show how tight we are as a group."

Rennie named Taylor as captain for the test, after Ardie Savea was forced to return home with a shoulder injury sustained during the third test. Fellow loose forward Luke Jacobson is also out injured, which has forced a reshuffle in the loose forwards.

"We've lost a fair bit of experience with injury with Luke and Ardie out,” said Rennie.

“When Ardie was captain, when he left the field, Luke took over. With both of them unavailable, we felt Codie coming back in, he's an excellent player but gives us a lot of experience and leadership, and that's been really valuable throughout the week."

Rennie said that the Springboks will likely bring the same physical and kick-heavy gameplan they have all season.

"We know each other well. We're really clear on their DNA and how they wanna play. They'll be clear on what we wanna do, and it's a real contrasting type of style, which I think brings the intrigue."

The Boks have relied heavily on their set-piece, however Rennie said the All Blacks still had some surprises in store for the weekend.

"There were things that we didn't utilise in the provincial games, 'cause we felt there was an opportunity against the Springboks and didn't wanna show our hand. Some of that's worked and some of it they've changed their setup, probably anticipating that we'd do something."

Springbok starting XV: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker; 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morne van den Berg; 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (capt); 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth; 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche. Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Andre Esterhuizen, 21 Cameron Hanekom, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Manie Libbok.

All Black starting XV: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Josh Moorby; 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Cam Roigard; 8 Peter Lakai, 7 Ethan Blackadder, 6 Tupou Vaa’i; 5 Sam Darry, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu; 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor (capt), 1 Ethan de Groot. Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Tyrel Lomax, 19 Josh Lord, 20 Wallace Sititi, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Rieko Ioane, 23 Beauden Barrett.