- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Crusaders openside Matt Todd has fended off the challenge of young gun Ardie Savea to retain his All Blacks starting role against Australia.
The world champions take on the Wallabies at Eden Park on Saturday in the third Bledisloe dead rubber, hoping to complete a trans-Tasman series clean sweep.
A victory will also give the side a record 18th consecutive Test win.
Todd, 28, started in the No.7 jumper against the Springboks in Durban, playing 55 minutes as the Kiwis thumped their traditional foes 57-15.
The 23-year-old Savea will start from the pine, while incumbent openside Sam Cane will play provincial rugby this weekend as he works his way back from injury.
Head coach Steve Hansen has entrusted Todd with the role again as he looks to keep his troops fresh ahead of their end-of-year tour.
“We’ve been focused in our preparation this week, and there’s a strong resolve within the group to put in another performance we can be proud of,” Hansen said.
Elsewhere, the prodigious Anton Lienert-Brown has also retained his place at centre after impressive Rugby Championship performances against Argentina and South Africa.
He will resume his midfield partnership with second-five Ryan Crotty, with Highlanders gun Malakai Fekitoa taking a spot on the bench.
Rampaging winger Julian Savea also comes back into the side in the place of Waisake Naholo, who has fallen out of the matchday squad altogether.
First-five Aaron Cruden is promoted back into the squad after overcoming a groin strain, coming in for Lima Sopoaga.
The All Blacks crushed Australia 42-8 and 29-9 in their first two Bledisloe encounters in August, dominating every facet of the match.
Hansen expected a tougher challenge this time around.
“They’ve made some significant changes to their game and would like nothing better than to end their Southern Hemisphere Test season with a win,” Hansen said.
“The stage is set for another huge trans-Tasman battle.”
As expected, TJ Perenara will start at halfback after star No.9 Aaron Smith stood down from the match in response to an incident in a Christchurch Airport toilet.
Smith’s squad replacement, Chiefs halfback Augustine Pulu, has been released to play NPC after club teammate Tawera Kerr-Barlow was named on the bench.
ALL BLACKS: Ben Smith, Israel Dagg, Anton Lienert-Brown, Ryan Crotty, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Kieran Read (c), Matt Todd, Jerome Kaino, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Owen Franks, Dane Coles, Joe Moody. RESERVES: Codie Taylor, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Liam Squire, Ardie Savea, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Aaron Cruden, Malakai Fekitoa.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.