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All Blacks pass up Proctor opportunity for Rugby Championship finale
SENZ • September 26th, 2024 12:06 pm
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has made just three changes to his team to face the Australians in their Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup finale in Wellington on Saturday.
Beauden Barrett reclaims the No 10 jersey, relegating Damian McKenzie to the bench.
Cortez Ratima shifts to the pine to allow TJ Perenara to start at halfback in his Test swansong, while Anton Lienert-Brown has been preferred as injured Jordie Barrett's replacement.
With the trans-Tasman silverware secured and the Championship title out of reach, there was widespread belief Robertson may seize the opportunity to tweak his selections and get a closer look at some of the fringe players in the squad.
Instead, he's predominantly stuck to the status quo - with Barrett's promotion ahead of McKenzie the main talking point of the starting XV.
While ex-All Blacks halfback Steve Devine admits he would've preferred to have seen Harry Plummer have an opportunity to earn his first cap as a starter, he believes Robertson has made the right move in giving McKenzie a spell given his recent workload.
"I just think McKenzie has probably had quite a lot of rugby the last couple of months," Devine told SENZ Mornings. "A trip to Africa and back as well.
"Give him a bit of a rest, let him freshen up a little bit. Give Beaudy a run. He'd be frothing to have a go at 10."
The midfield continues to be another area of contention. Barrett's injury had the locals in the capital hoping they'd see Hurricanes hero Billy Proctor called into the run-on side, who hasn't been sighted since his impressive outing against Fiji in San Diego.
Instead, Robertson has opted for the experience of Lienert-Brown, calling in David Havili to back him up off the bench.
Devine admits he's surprised by Havili's call-up, given he hasn't featured at all on the Test stage in 2024.
"I thought they might have given Proctor a start," said the 10-test international.
"With the Bledisloe locked away and in a home match, you'd think if they wanted to give some of these younger guys a bit of a test, this is a good game to do it."
Listen to the full interview below:
