All Blacks Name Codie Taylor Captain for Series Decider Against Springboks in Baltimore
- All Blacks coach Dave Rennie explained why Codie Taylor was reinstated as captain for the fourth Test against the Springboks on Saturday
- Taylor's return comes after both regular captain Ardie Savea and Luke Jacobson were ruled unavailable for the series finale in Baltimore
- Veteran back Beauden Barrett is also set to feature for New Zealand, making his first appearance of the Greatest Rivalry series from the bench
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All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has defended his decision to hand the captaincy back to hooker Codie Taylor for Saturday's fourth and final Test against the Springboks in Baltimore, describing the choice as straightforward given the circumstances.
Taylor missed the third Test at FNB Stadium but returns to lead the side as New Zealand seek to level the Greatest Rivalry series at 2-2 and claim a share of the trophy.
Taylor Steps Up as Savea and Jacobson Are Ruled Out
Rennie pointed to the unavailability of regular captain Ardie Savea and lock Luke Jacobson as the primary reason for Taylor's reinstatement. As tour captain, Taylor was the natural fit to fill the void.
"Well, he's the tour captain, so that made sense to us," Rennie said.
"Obviously, we've lost a fair bit of experience over the weekend, with Luke and Ardie out. With both of them unavailable, we felt Codie coming back in, he's an excellent player and gives us a lot of leadership and experience, and that's been really valuable throughout the week."
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Rennie also confirmed that hooker Asafo Aumua would be available to provide impact off the bench later in the match.
Barrett Set for First Series Appearance
Veteran back Beauden Barrett will make his debut in the Greatest Rivalry series on Saturday, entering the game from the bench. The 35-year-old has been absent from the starting line-up for New Zealand's first six Tests of the year.
Rennie acknowledged that the wait has been difficult for Barrett, while praising his professionalism during the period on the sidelines.
Source: Briefly News
