A FIT AGAIN Aaron Cruden returns in the outhalf role for the All Blacks and is one of three changes for the top-of-the-table Rugby Championship clash against South Africa in Wellington on Saturday.
Steven Luatua also returns at flanker for the injured Liam Messam while Jeremy Thrush gets the nod to start at lock in place of Sam Whitelock who has been sidelined for up to four weeks with a rib injury.
Luatua was an instant star when he made the All Blacks last year, playing in 11 Tests.
But his form dropped away so much this year in the Super Rugby competition that All Blacks coach Steve Hansen declared he was not fit enough to be an All Black and excluded him from the June tests against England.
He responded by improving enough to come on as replacement against Australia three weeks ago and now, following injuries to Jerome Kaino and Messam, is promoted to the starting side.
Cruden, who will start the Test on 99 points scored in the Rugby Championship, missed last week’s 28-9 win over Argentina with a chest injury where his replacement Beauden Barrett had a woeful night with his boot.
Barrett, who has developed a reputation as a Super Sub for the All Blacks, drops back to the bench for the Springboks Test.
Cory Jane and Patrick Tuipulotu are also added to the reserves.
Jane replaces Malakai Fekitoa, the only replacement not to get on the field against Argentina, while Tuipulotu has recovered sufficiently from an ankle injury to be named as second row cover.
Meanwhile, South Africa will field fledgling international outhalf Handre Pollard against New Zealand in the only change to their line-up for Saturday’s Rugby Championship clash.
Pollard, with only three Tests under his belt, has been thrust into the crucial play-maker role ahead of the veteran Morne Steyn who was omitted from the squad.
Coach Heyneke Meyer admitted the move would surprise some Springbok fans but said he wanted to blood Pollard in a high-pressure game ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup, predicting the 20-year-old could be “a big force” at the tournament.
“It is a big call but if we don’t do it now we’re never going to know what he can do and I think this is the right game to do it,” Meyer told reporters.
“He’s a different type of player and you need something different if you’re going to beat New Zealand. I don’t think you’re going to beat the All Blacks if you just do the conventional.”
All Blacks: Israel Dagg; Ben Smith, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Julian Savea; Aaron Cruden, Aaron Smith; Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Steven Luatua; Jeremy Thrush, Brodie Retallick, Owen Franks; Dane Coles, Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements: Keven Mealamu, Joe Moody, Ben Franks, Patrick Tuipulotu, Sam Cane, TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett, Cory Jane.
South Africa: Willie le Roux; Cornal Hendricks, Jan Serfontein, Jean de Villiers (capt), Bryan Habana; Handre Pollard, Ruan Pienaar; Duane Vermeulen, Marcell Coetzee, Francois Louw; Victor Matfield, Eben Etzebeth; Jannie du Plessis, Adriaan Strauss, Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: Bismarck du Plessis, Trevor Nyakane, Marcel van der Merwe, Lood de Jager, Warren Whiteley, Francois Hougaard, Pat Lambie, Damian de Allende
