Three changes for All Blacks as centurion Taylor is dropped

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 3 : New Zealand announced three changes to their starting lineup for the third test against South Africa at Soccer City on Saturday, including dropping experienced hooker Codie Taylor.

• Asafo Aumua will start at hooker with Samisoni Taukei’aho coming onto the bench in the change to the front row as Taylor, with 111 test caps, is omitted.

• Sam Darry will play his first test of the four-match series as he replaces Fabian Holland in the second row, with Holland dropping to the bench and Patrick Tuipulotu falling out of the matchday squad.

• Peter Lakai is brought into the loose trio in place of Simon Parker, with Wallace Sititi included among the replacements for the first time in the test series.

• The backline remains unchanged from last Saturday’s 33-26 loss to the Springboks in the second test in Cape Town.

• Ardie Savea will again captain the side with a 5-3 split between forwards and backs on the bench.

• The All Blacks were worthy 33-16 winners in the first test at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. The fourth test is in Baltimore in the United States on September 12.

Team: 15-Damian McKenzie, 14-Will Jordan, 13-Quinn Tupaea, 12-Jordie Barrett, 11-Leroy Carter, 10-Ruben Love, 9-Cam Roigard, 8-Ardie Savea (captain), 7-Luke Jacobson, 6-Peter Lakai, 5-Sam Darry, 4-Tupou Vaa'i, 3-Tyrel Lomax, 2-Asafo Aumua, 1-George Bower

Replacements: 16-Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17-Xavier Numia, 18-Fletcher Newell, 19-Fabian Holland, 20-Wallace Sititi, 21-Kyle Preston, 22-Anton Lienert-Brown, 23-Josh Moorby

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ken Ferris)