Perofeta gets All Blacks nod to face England
Stephen Perofeta plays his club rugby for the Blues
- Published
New Zealand v England first Test
Date: Saturday, 6 July Kick-off: 08:05 BST Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Coverage: Listen to commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds and follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app.
Full-back Stephen Perofeta will start for New Zealand against England in the first match of their two-Test series on Saturday in Dunedin.
Three-cap Perofeta, 27, is preferred to 2015 Rugby World Cup winner Beauden Barrett, who has been named on the bench.
Barrett, who has 123 caps, can also play at fly-half but new head coach Scott Robertson has named Damian McKenzie at 10.
McKenzie's half-back partner is TJ Perenara, who returns after an Achilles injury.
Saturday's match will also be Scott Barrett's first as the new All Blacks captain.
- Published2 July
The matchday squad selection is Robertson's first since taking charge of the team.
He was appointed in November and replaced Ian Foster who steered the team to the 2023 World Cup final against South Africa. New Zealand lost by a single point to the Springboks.
Robertson said Perofeta's form for Auckland's Blues during their march to the Super Rugby title secured his selection.
“Obviously the experience of 123 Tests counts for a lot, but Stephen Perofeta is also a guy who is in form, good around the high ball and playing great footy,” Robertson said.
“Just two weeks ago he was playing in a Test-match level game in a final. Beauden can play his part covering both 10 and 15. When you’ve got Beauden Barrett on the bench it’s pretty special.”
The first Test against England will be followed by a second match on 13 July at Eden Park in Auckland.
Steve Borthwick's England are looking to make history as they have never won a Test series in New Zealand.
New Zealand XV to face England: S Perofeta; S Reece, R Ioane, J Barrett, M Tele'a; D McKenzie, T Perenara; E de Groot, C Taylor, T Lomax, S Barrett (capt), P Tuipulotu, S Finau, D Papali’i, A Savea.
Replacements: A Aumua, O Tu’ungafasi, F Newell, T Vaa'i, L Jacobson, F Christie, A Lienert-Brown, B Barrett.