BALTIMORE, Sept 10 (Reuters) - New Zealand have namedCodie Taylor as captain, recalled flyhalf Richie Mo’unga and made wholesale changes to their forward pack for the fourth and final test against South Africa in Baltimore on Saturday.
• Taylor had been dropped for last weekend’s third test in Johannesburg but on Thursday was restored to the side as captain, with Ardie Savea out injured. Asafo Aumua, who was first-choice hooker last week, returns to the bench.
• The 32-year-old Mo’unga, who was a late injury replacement for the tour of South Africa, comes in for Ruben Love at halfback and plays a first test since New Zealand lost to South Africa in the 2023 World Cup final in Paris.
• Taylor features in a new-look front row with Ethan de Groot back after suffering concussion in the first test and Fletcher Newell taking Tyrel Lomax’s place at tighthead.
• In the second row, Patrick Tuipulotu is introduced, with Tupou Vaa'i switched to flank and Josh Lord back-up lock on the bench as Fabian Holland is ill.
• Savea’s replacement at No. 8 is Peter Lakai, who was the open side flanker last week, while Luke Jacobson, who has also gone home with injury, is replaced on the blindside by Ethan Blackadder.
• Experienced Anton Lienert-Brown shifts into centre after Quinn Tupaea’s tour was ended by a knee injury while Josh Moorby is chosen on the wing in place of Leroy Carter, who missed a key tackle in last Saturday’s 29-24 loss to the Springboks.
• The replacements include backline veterans Rieko Ioane and Beauden Barrett, neither of whom featured in the first three tests.
• South Africa lead the four-test series 2-1.
Team: 15-Damian McKenzie, 14-Will Jordan, 13-Anton Lienert-Brown, 12-Jordie Barrett, 11-Josh Moorby, 10-Richie Mo’unga, 9-Cam Roigard, 8-Peter Lakai, 7-Ethan Blackadder, 6-Tupou Vaa'i, 5-Sam Darry, 4-Patrick Tuipulotu, 3-Fletcher Newell, 2-Codie Taylor (captain), 1-Ethan de Groot
Replacements: 16-Asafo Aumua, 17-Xavier Numia, 18-Tyrel Lomax, 19-Josh Lord, 20-Wallace Sititi, 21-Kyle Preston, 22-Rieko Ioane, 23-Beauden Barrett.
(Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Clare Fallon)
