LONDON – Highlanders’ pivot Lima Sopoaga and Hurricanes Lock James Broadhurst will make their All Blacks debut when they run out against the Springboks at Johannesburg on Saturday.
Both players have been rewarded after a very successful season with their respective super rugby teams. Wellington-born Sopoaga will make history to be the first pacific islander to wear the All Black no.10 jersey and gets the chance to emulate the formidable partnership he has with fellow Highlander Aaron Smith, this time, on the international stage.
It is a huge opportunity for Sopoaga who will most likely fight it out for New Zealand’s third fly-half position for the upcoming Rugby World Cup. It’s fair to say it’s also a big chance for Broadhurst to impress with the locking depth reasonably substantial at the moment in New Zealand rugby. And he’ll go a long way to locking in a World Cup spot with a strong performance at Ellis Park on Saturday.
In other changes to the squad, Ben Smith comes in for the unlucky Waisake Naholo on the wing who broke his leg in the win against Argentina. Dane Coles and Liam Messam also earn starting spots as Steve Hansen tries a number of combinations before the World Cup starting in September.
All Black team to face South Africa
1-Tony Woodcock, 2-Dane Coles, 3-Owen Franks, 4-Brodie Retallick, 5-James Broadhurst, 6-Liam Messam, 7-Richie McCaw (captain), 8-Kieran Read, 9-Aaron Smith, 10-Lima Sopoaga, 11-Charles Piutau, 12-Ma’a Nonu, 13-Conrad Smith, 14-Ben Smith, 15-Israel Dagg,
Replacements: 16-Codie Taylor, 17-Wyatt Crockett, 18-Ben Franks, 19-Sam Whitelock, 20-Victor Vito, 21-TJ Perenara, 22-Beauden Barrett, 23-Malakai Fekitoa.