Dave Rennie has been forced into three starting changes for the second Test against the Springboks at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, with concussion protocols ruling out two key forwards from the side that won 33-16 at Ellis Park. George Bower, whose replacement front row turned the first Test in the All Blacks’ favour, starts at loosehead in place of Ethan de Groot, while Simon Parker comes in at blindside flanker after Tupou Vaa’i moves to the second row to replace the concussed Josh Lord.

Key squad news:

• George Bower starts at loosehead after Ethan de Groot fails to clear HIA protocols from the first Test
• Josh Lord also ruled out on a 12-day concussion stand-down; Tupou Vaa’i moves from blindside to lock
• Simon Parker drafted in at blindside flanker to complete the forward reshuffle
• Leroy Carter starts on the left wing in place of Josh Moorby, who moves to the bench
• Xavier Numia provides loosehead cover on the bench; Patrick Tuipulotu is lock cover
• An All Blacks win would clinch the series with two Tests still to play

De Groot and Lord have not cleared HIA return-to-play protocols following the sickening head-on-head collision between the two All Blacks in the 38th minute of the first Test. Both are on mandatory 12-day stand-downs. Their absence forces a significant reshuffle to the pack, with Vaa’i — who made the same positional shift when the pair left the field in Johannesburg — now entrusted with a starting role at lock alongside the outstanding Fabian Holland.

Bower’s promotion to the starting side is fitting reward for the 31-year-old Crusaders prop, whose impact off the bench in the first Test was arguably the decisive factor in the All Blacks’ victory. He and replacement hooker Asafo Aumua and tighthead Fletcher Newell stabilised and then reversed the scrum dominance that the Springboks had enjoyed in the first half, with the pivotal 56th-minute scrum penalty on the All Blacks’ own 5m line the moment that changed the match.

“While we were happy with the win last week, I think both teams will be better this weekend,” Rennie said. “We’ve played four Tests this year and are still growing as a group. I’m really excited about the competition for places and the performances of the squad across the matches here in South Africa, and we’re really looking forward to this weekend.”

The sole change in the backline sees Leroy Carter start on the left wing in place of Josh Moorby, who drops to outside back cover on the bench. Carter has been one of the revelations of the tour, scoring six tries across the franchise matches and consistently threatening with his pace and footwork. Moorby started the first Test and scored from Vaa’i’s brilliant offload, but Carter’s prolific try-scoring run has earned him the nod.

The remainder of the starting XV is unchanged. Captain Ardie Savea packs down at number eight alongside Luke Jacobson at openside and the newly promoted Parker, whose workmanlike contributions across the tour have been quietly effective. Codie Taylor and Tyrel Lomax complete the front row, while the backline of Cam Roigard, Ruben Love, Jordie Barrett, Quinn Tupaea, Will Jordan and Damian McKenzie is retained in its entirety.

The bench carries a 5-3 split with Xavier Numia providing loosehead cover and Tuipulotu offering lock depth. Peter Lakai, Kyle Preston, Anton Lienert-Brown and Moorby round out the reserves. Notably, Ethan Blackadder — who produced the performance of the tour against the Lions on Tuesday with two tries and 16 carries — misses out on the matchday 23, as does Wallace Sititi.

Blackadder’s omission is a talking point given the scale of his display against the Lions, but Rennie has opted for continuity in the loose forwards, retaining the Parker-Jacobson-Savea combination from the first Test and backing Lakai to provide the impact off the bench. Blackadder’s tour has nonetheless been transformative — his stock has risen immeasurably since arriving in South Africa, and his case for inclusion in the third and fourth Tests is as strong as anyone’s.

The Springboks have responded to their 33-16 defeat with wholesale changes. Handré Pollard replaces Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at fly-half, Cobus Reinach comes in at scrumhalf, and Ethan Hooker fills the wing vacancy left by the injured Cheslin Kolbe. Captain Siya Kolisi has been bracketed with Paul de Villiers at blindside as he works his way back from a grade-two hamstring tear sustained against Argentina on 8 August. Pieter-Steph du Toit will captain the side and earn his 100th Test cap, while loosehead Ox Nche reaches 50 caps. If Kolisi starts, the Springboks will field their most experienced starting XV in history, with a combined 1,012 Test caps.

The veteran flanker Deon Fourie, who was outstanding for the Stormers against the All Blacks in the tour opener, returns to a Springbok matchday squad for the first time since the 2023 World Cup final. Erasmus has opted for a 6-2 forwards-backs bench split, underlining his intention to bludgeon the All Blacks with forward power.

A victory on Saturday would give the All Blacks the series with two Tests still to play and confirm their first series triumph in South Africa since Sean Fitzpatrick’s ‘Incomparables’ in 1996 — 30 years ago to the month. Rennie, however, has been careful not to let his side look beyond the immediate challenge.

McKenzie will be playing his 34th consecutive Test on Saturday, while Jordan — who extended his All Blacks try-scoring record to 53 with his two-try display at Ellis Park — sits alongside England’s Rory Underwood in sixth place on the men’s international Test try-scoring list.

The match will be the All Blacks’ second appearance at DHL Stadium, with all ten previous Tests between the sides in Cape Town played at Newlands. The Springboks won the last encounter in Cape Town, beating the All Blacks 18-12 during the 2024 Rugby Championship.

All Blacks team for the second Test

DHL Stadium, Cape Town. Saturday 29 August, kick-off 5.10pm local time (3.10am Sunday 30 August NZT).

1. George Bower (27 caps), 2. Codie Taylor (110), 3. Tyrel Lomax (52), 4. Fabian Holland (13), 5. Tupou Vaa’i (48), 6. Simon Parker (9), 7. Luke Jacobson (28), 8. Ardie Savea (c) (110), 9. Cam Roigard (21), 10. Ruben Love (9), 11. Leroy Carter (8), 12. Jordie Barrett (82), 13. Quinn Tupaea (27), 14. Will Jordan (58), 15. Damian McKenzie (78).

Reserves: 16. Asafo Aumua (23), 17. Xavier Numia (2), 18. Fletcher Newell (38), 19. Patrick Tuipulotu (57), 20. Peter Lakai (11), 21. Kyle Preston (2), 22. Anton Lienert-Brown (91), 23. Josh Moorby (3).

The All Blacks completed a clean sweep of the franchise fixtures on the Greatest Rivalry Tour, but only after producing a remarkable comeback to beat the Lions 41-35 in a breathless 12-try thriller at Ellis Park. Trailing 17-35 in the second half, Rieko Ioane’s individual brilliance and Ethan Blackadder’s extraordinary all-action display inspired 24 unanswered points as the tourists survived the most serious scare of their tour.

Key moments

Pre-match – Late change: Ofa Tu’ungafasi ruled out with illness. Xavier Numia replaces him on the bench.

5 mins – TRY LIONS: Nico Steyn sells a dummy from a ruck and bursts through to score under the posts. Chris Smith converts. (Lions 7–0 All Blacks)

7 mins – TRY LIONS: Siba Mahashe intercepts a loose Ethan Blackadder loop pass after a lineout and races away to score. Smith converts. (Lions 14–0 All Blacks)

17 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Emoni Narawa scoops the ball from a ruck, beats three defenders and sends Noah Hotham over. Beauden Barrett converts. (Lions 14–7 All Blacks)

25 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Timoci Tavatavanawai produces a trademark powerful run before the ball is shifted wide to Emoni Narawa, who runs in untouched. Barrett’s conversion misses. (Lions 14–12 All Blacks)

32 mins – TRY LIONS: Nico Steyn draws defenders and sends Kelly Mpeku over in the corner. Smith converts his third. (Lions 21–12 All Blacks)

36 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Ethan Blackadder rounds off a well-worked team try. Barrett’s conversion misses. (Lions 21–17 All Blacks)

38 mins – TRY DISALLOWED: Fehi Fineanganofo appears to have scored but referee Angus Gardner spots a forward pass in the build-up.

Half-time: Lions 21–17 All Blacks. The Lions scored three tries to stun the tourists and take a four-point lead at the break. Steyn and Mahashe were outstanding, the home scrum was solid, and Blackadder’s loop pass gift-wrapped the Lions’ second try. The All Blacks fought back through Hotham, Narawa and Blackadder, but were error-prone and lacked the clinical edge of their earlier tour performances.

42 mins – TRY LIONS: Siba Mahashe keeps his feet inside the line despite Ioane’s tackle. Erich Cronje kicks through and collects for the Lions’ fourth try. Smith converts. (Lions 28–17 All Blacks)

50 mins – TRY LIONS: Captain Francke Horn powers over from a pushover scrum after sustained forward pressure. Smith converts his fifth from five. (Lions 35–17 All Blacks)

52 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Rieko Ioane steps big off his left foot and sprints 40m through the Lions’ defence to score. Mo’unga converts. (Lions 35–24 All Blacks)

56 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Rieko Ioane intercepts and races away for his second. Mo’unga converts. (Lions 35–31 All Blacks)

62 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Ethan Blackadder initiates a 50m exchange of passes with Ioane and Tavatavanawai before finishing the move himself. Unconverted. (Lions 35–36 All Blacks)

63 mins – All Blacks lead for the first time in the match.

76 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Emoni Narawa dives over in the corner after the All Blacks win a powerful scrum and go wide. Mo’unga’s conversion misses, but the tourists have done enough. (Lions 35–41 All Blacks)

Full-time: Lions 35–41 All Blacks

For 50 minutes in Johannesburg, the Lions threatened to rip up the script of this entire tour. Their spirited, fearless display — enriched by the return of Springbok duo Boan Venter and Quan Horn — saw them race to a 35-17 lead before half-time and deep into the second half, and it was not until a 24-point blitz in the final half-hour that the All Blacks finally pulled clear. It was far too loose at times from the tourists, but the comeback that followed was as stirring as anything produced on this tour.

The Lions came out swinging from the kick-off, and within seven minutes the All Blacks found themselves staring down the barrel of an embarrassing upset. Halfback Nico Steyn, a product of King Edward VII School just a short drive from Ellis Park, dummied from the base of a ruck in the fifth minute and sliced through to score under the posts. Chris Smith converted. Then came the moment that would haunt Blackadder — standing at the base of the front ball at a lineout, he threw a looping pass that had all the impetus of an autumn leaf; barnstorming blindside flanker Siba Mahashe collected it and sprinted away to score from 28 metres. Smith converted again and the Lions led 14-0.

From that early error, Blackadder channelled his frustration into an extraordinary 80-minute performance. He finished with 16 carries — more than anyone on the park — two tries, multiple turnovers and an engine that simply would not quit. “The Lions came out hissing,” Blackadder said afterwards. “But we stayed composed and found a way in the end. They were quality tonight.”

Rennie was effusive in his praise. “He was all over the park,” the head coach said. “He got his hands on a lot of ball post tackle. He carried a lot for us and made a lot of tackles. Support play. He’s got a big engine, Ethan, he’s all arms and legs and had a massive impact on the game tonight.”

The All Blacks’ response to the early deficit came in the 17th minute through a moment of individual brilliance from Emoni Narawa. The Chiefs winger scooped the ball from a ruck, beat three defenders and sent Noah Hotham — who otherwise endured a forgettable evening after the intercept error — over for the tourists’ first score. Barrett converted. Narawa was at it again in the 25th minute, running in untouched after Timoci Tavatavanawai had done the hard work with one of his trademark steamrolling carries. Barrett’s conversion missed, leaving the All Blacks trailing 14-12.

The Lions restored their advantage through Steyn’s second assist, the halfback drawing defenders before sending winger Kelly Mpeku over in the corner. Smith kicked his third conversion. The schoolkids from King Edward in their blazers and those from Jeppe and other local schools roared their approval — this was exactly what midweek tour matches were designed to produce.

Blackadder’s first try, a well-worked team effort in the 36th minute, narrowed the deficit to four before Fehi Fineanganofo appeared to have scored on the stroke of half-time, only for referee Angus Gardner to rule out the try for a forward pass in the build-up. The Lions took a 21-17 lead into the break, having scored the most points against the All Blacks on tour.

Rennie’s halftime message was to throw the first punch in the second half. But the Lions did, again. Forty-two seconds after the restart, Mahashe kept his feet inside the touchline despite Ioane’s desperate tackle, and winger Erich Cronje kicked through and collected for the fourth try. Smith converted and the Lions led 28-17. Then came the pushover: captain Francke Horn powered over from a scrum that had the All Blacks creaking, and Smith’s fifth conversion from five attempts made it 35-17. The tourists were on the ropes.

The tide turned after the replacement front row of Xavier Numia, Bradley Slater and debutant Saula Ma’u entered the contest. The scrum stabilised, then began to dominate, and the Lions’ preseason conditioning visibly fell away. Ioane struck first in the 52nd minute, stepping big off his left foot in the midfield before sprinting 40 metres through exhausted defenders to score under the posts. Mo’unga converted, and the deficit was back to 11.

Four minutes later, Ioane struck again. The 88-cap back intercepted a loose Lions pass — the same medicine the hosts had administered to the tourists in the first half — and raced away untouched. Mo’unga’s conversion made it 35-31 and the momentum had swung irrevocably. “It was grit and guts,” Ioane said. “Wherever my role is for the team, that’s what I’m doing, and I’ll do it to the best of my ability.”

Ioane, who played against the Lions twice for Leinster during his stint in Ireland earlier this year, was well aware of the threat they posed. “This is my third time playing this Lions team, and I sort of knew coming into this game that they were probably the least affected in terms of international selection,” he said. “So they’re a tight-knit group, and every single game I played them this year, it’s been tight.”

The lead changed hands in the 62nd minute when Blackadder produced the try of the match. He initiated a 50-metre exchange of passes with Ioane and Tavatavanawai that swept the length of the park before finishing the move himself. The conversion missed but the All Blacks led 36-35 — the first time they had been in front all evening. “I haven’t scored two since club rugby back in 2016,” Blackadder grinned. “So yeah, pretty lucky.”

Narawa sealed the win in the 76th minute after two powerful scrums gave the All Blacks the platform to go wide, the winger diving over in the corner. Mo’unga’s conversion drifted wide but it mattered little. The All Blacks had won 41-35 and completed a five-from-five sweep of the franchise fixtures, scoring 29 tries and conceding 13 across those four matches.

The match also carried significant implications for the second Test. Rennie revealed that Anton Segner’s tour is over after the Blues flanker failed to recover from the acute inflammatory arthritis in his ankle that forced him out of the first Test matchday 23. The news is a blow to the touring squad but enhances Blackadder’s chances of involvement on Saturday, and on this evidence, the Crusaders flanker has made an unanswerable case.

Richie Mo’unga completed the full 80 minutes on his return to the All Blacks jersey, looking calm and composed without setting the world alight. His kicking from hand was generally sharp and he produced a trademark line break late in the match that the All Blacks could not capitalise on. Patrick Tuipulotu, likely to start at lock in place of the concussed Josh Lord on Saturday, was withdrawn at half-time as a precaution — Rennie wanting to ensure the veteran had 40 valuable minutes in his legs without risking him further ahead of the second Test in Cape Town.

Debutant prop Saula Ma’u came off the bench in the second half and made an immediate impact, providing the scrum stability that allowed the All Blacks to build their comeback platform. The Highlanders loosehead described the moment as “unreal.”

The All Blacks now head to Cape Town for the second Test against the Springboks at DHL Stadium on Saturday, leading the series 1-0. Rassie Erasmus has made wholesale changes after the first Test defeat, with Siya Kolisi cleared to return from a hamstring injury to captain the side. Three Tests remain, and while this franchise clean sweep has been impressive, the tourists know the Springboks will bring a ferocity in Cape Town that even the Lions at their most inspired could not match.

Teams

Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Kelly Mpeku, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Richard Kriel, 11 Erich Cronje, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Nico Steyn, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Batho Hlekani, 6 Siba Mahashe, 5 Ruan Delport, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Sebastian Lombard, 2 PJ Botha, 1 SJ Kotze.
Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 Boan Venter, 18 RF Schoeman, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 JC Pretorius, 22 Haashim Pead, 23 Boeta Chamberlain.

All Blacks: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Fehi Fineanganofo, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Timoci Tavatavanawai, 11 Emoni Narawa, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Noah Hotham, 8 Semisi Ta’eiloa, 7 Ethan Blackadder, 6 Wallace Sititi, 5 Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 4 Sam Darry, 3 Pasilio Tosi, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Siale Lauaki.
Replacements: 16 Bradley Slater, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Saula Ma’u, 19 Jamie Hannah, 20 Peter Lakai, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Josh Jacomb, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown.

Match details

Lions 35 (Tries: Steyn, Mahashe, Mpeku, Cronje, Horn; Conversions: Smith 5/5)
All Blacks 41 (Tries: Hotham, Narawa 2, Blackadder 2, Ioane 2; Conversions: Barrett 1/3, Mo’unga 2/4)
Half-time: 21–17 (Lions)

Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Player of the match: Rieko Ioane (All Blacks)

Richie Mo’unga will pull on the All Blacks jersey for the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final when he starts at first five-eighth against the Lions at Ellis Park on Tuesday evening. The 32-year-old’s return to the black jersey, almost three years after that one-point loss to South Africa in Paris, is the headline selection in a heavily rotated side named by Dave Rennie for the final franchise fixture of the Greatest Rivalry Tour.

Key squad news:

• Richie Mo’unga starts at first five-eighth for first time since the 2023 World Cup final
• Uncapped prop Saula Ma’u set for All Blacks debut from the bench
• Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Jamie Hannah fly in as injury cover for de Groot and Lord; named on bench
• Noah Hotham gets first All Blacks appearance of 2026 at halfback
• Patrick Tuipulotu captains the side for a fourth time on tour
• Semisi Ta’eiloa and Timoci Tavatavanawai given first All Blacks starts
• Kyle Preston becomes the only player to feature in every match on tour

None of the 15 players who started Saturday’s stunning 33-16 first Test victory over the Springboks at the same venue have been retained in the starting XV, though three bench players from the Test — Peter Lakai, Kyle Preston and Anton Lienert-Brown — back up again among the reserves. Preston’s inclusion means the Crusaders halfback becomes the only player to have featured in every match on tour.

Mo’unga, who spent three seasons with Japanese club Toshiba Brave Lupus before returning to New Zealand this year, was called into the touring squad as an injury replacement for Billy Proctor and has spent the past ten days immersing himself in Rennie’s systems. The 56-cap playmaker said he was at peace with his journey back and relishing the opportunity.

“I was sitting in Japan one night watching the Six Nations, understanding there’s no better feeling than being in the arena,” Mo’unga said. “One reason for coming back was obviously to win a World Cup but also not having any regrets of, ‘geez, I wish I gave it another crack’ or maybe there was a bit more to give.”

Rennie was effusive about what Mo’unga brings. “He’s a good student and based on training today he’s got his head around everything we’re trying to do,” the head coach said. “He contributed well and it will be nice to see him run that team around. I just think Richie’s vision and decision stuff is next level. He’s as good, if not better, than when he left.”

Mo’unga acknowledged incumbent Ruben Love’s hold on the Test jersey but made clear his competitive fire had not dimmed. “It’s still there. I’m competitive. I want to be the best. But I know there’s a process to that and at this point the process is around preparing someone else to be the best. But I get a chance Tuesday to put on the jersey, and that’s another opportunity for me to be the best.”

The other major talking point is the arrival of three new faces to the touring party. Uncapped Highlanders prop Saula Ma’u is set for his All Blacks debut from the bench, while 68-cap veteran Ofa Tu’ungafasi and lock Jamie Hannah flew in on Sunday to provide cover after first Test concussion casualties Ethan de Groot and Josh Lord were ruled out on 12-day stand-downs. Both de Groot and Lord will miss Saturday’s second Test in Cape Town, as will loose forward Anton Segner, who is still managing acute inflammatory arthritis in his ankle.

“Firstly, I want to congratulate Saula on making his All Blacks debut. It will be a special day for him and his family,” Rennie said. “With the naming of this matchday 23, everyone currently in the squad will have played on tour, which is great for creating depth and competition for places in the Test team.”

The starting XV carries a different complexion from the Test team but is far from lightweight. Beauden Barrett starts at fullback with Fehi Fineanganofo and Emoni Narawa on the wings. Rieko Ioane is at outside centre alongside Timoci Tavatavanawai, who earns his first All Blacks start, with Mo’unga and Noah Hotham — playing his first match for the All Blacks in 2026 — in the halves.

Up front, Siale Lauaki, Samisoni Taukei’aho and Pasilio Tosi form the front row, with Sam Darry and captain Patrick Tuipulotu in the second row. Their performances will be particularly scrutinised given the lock vacancy created by Lord’s absence ahead of the second Test. The loose forward trio of Wallace Sititi, Ethan Blackadder and Semisi Ta’eiloa — the latter earning his first start — provides a powerful back-row combination.

Rennie acknowledged the challenge of a three-day turnaround from the first Test. “I’ve been impressed with the way that all players in our squad have responded to the quick turnaround between games,” he said. “The Lions match comes just three days after the first Test match but everyone has been involved in preparing this team to play. We know we will have to be at our very best again to prepare for what we know will be another physical match against a Lions side that has been lying in wait.”

Tuesday’s match will be a historic first encounter between the All Blacks and the Lions. The tourists played the Lions’ predecessors, Transvaal, eight times between 1928 and 1976. The locals won the very first match 6-0 — in what was also the first match ever played at Ellis Park — before the All Blacks won the next seven.

All Blacks team to play the Lions

Ellis Park, Johannesburg. Tuesday 25 August, kick-off 7pm local time (5am Wednesday 26 August NZT).

1. Siale Lauaki (0 caps), 2. Samisoni Taukei’aho (44), 3. Pasilio Tosi (17), 4. Sam Darry (10), 5. Patrick Tuipulotu (c) (57), 6. Wallace Sititi (21), 7. Ethan Blackadder (14), 8. Semisi Ta’eiloa (0), 9. Noah Hotham (3), 10. Richie Mo’unga (56), 11. Emoni Narawa (4), 12. Timoci Tavatavanawai (2), 13. Rieko Ioane (88), 14. Fehi Fineanganofo (1), 15. Beauden Barrett (144).

Reserves: 16. Bradley Slater (0), 17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi (68), 18. Saula Ma’u*, 19. Jamie Hannah (1), 20. Peter Lakai (11), 21. Kyle Preston (2), 22. Josh Jacomb (0), 23. Anton Lienert-Brown (91).

*denotes potential debut