LUKE JACOBSEN WILL make his first Test start of the year after being named in the All Blacks’ side to face arch-rivals South Africa in a Rugby World Cup warm-up match on Friday.
The back-rower will earn his 15th cap in an experienced pack featuring more than 500 Test appearances as a member of a back-row also including New Zealand captain Sam Cane and Ardie Savea.
This weekend’s game will be the All Blacks’ last fixture ahead of a World Cup in France that starts next month.
A capacity crowd of 82,000 is expected to watch the first match between the superpowers at Twickenham since the All Blacks edged the Springboks in a 2015 World Cup semi-final before lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy.
“This is our final game before the Rugby World Cup and this test is critical in our preparation,” said New Zealand head coach Ian Foster.
“With just two weeks to go, it’s an important opportunity to get us battle-ready for the start of the tournament. These games are always intense and physically challenging, and I’m sure this one will be no different.”
The All Blacks caught World Cup holders the Springboks cold when they last met in July, with New Zealand winning 35-20 in Auckland.
The All Blacks launch the World Cup against hosts France, another of the favourites to take this year’s title, at the Stade de France on September 8.
New Zealand and South Africa are in the same half of the draw for this edition. Depending on pool results, the only teams to win the men’s Rugby World Cup three times could meet each other again in the quarter-finals.
The Springboks, who hammered Wales 52-16 in a warm-up game in Cardiff last weekend, named their team to play the All Blacks on Monday.
New Zealand (v South Africa):
- 15. Beauden Barrett
- 14. Will Jordan
- 13. Rieko Ioane
- 12. Jordie Barrett
- 11. Mark Telea
- 10. Richie Mo’unga
- 9. Aaron Smith
- 1. Ethan de Groot
- 2. Dane Coles
- 3. Tyrel Lomax
- 4. Samuel Whitelock
- 5. Scott Barrett
- 6. Luke Jacobson
- 7. Sam Cane (captain)
- 8. Ardie Savea
Replacements:
- 16. Samisoni Taukei’aho
- 17. Tamaiti Williams
- 18. Fletcher Newell
- 19. Josh Lord
- 20. Tupou Vaa’i
- 21. Dalton Papali’i
- 22. Cam Roigard
- 23. Anton Lienert-Brown
