Patrick Tuipulotu Captains All Blacks For Historic Stormers Clash In Cape Town

Patrick Tuipulotu will lead the All Blacks into the opening fixture of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour as they face the Stormers at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Friday night, with Dave Rennie blooding two uncapped players from the bench and seven debutants across the squad.

According to the All Blacks’ official announcement, Tuipulotu takes the captaincy for the tour opener while New Zealand navigate a fresh selection challenge in what marks their first major tour to South Africa in 30 years. Prop Siale Lauaki and inside back Josh Jacomb will make their All Blacks debuts from the bench, while openside flanker Anton Segner comes into the side following Wallace Sititi’s withdrawal through illness. Peter Lakai shifts to the back of the scrum as cover.

The All Blacks’ backline features seven players making their first appearance in the black jersey this year, including five-eighth Beauden Barrett and centre Rieko Ioane, as Rennie shuffles his squad to build depth for the eight-match tour. In the forwards, debutants Ollie Norris, Fabian Holland, Simon Parker and Ethan Blackadder complete a refreshed pack.

Nel Leads Stormers Against The Tourists

The Stormers, captained by outside centre Ruhan Nel, have named a squad featuring the midfield axis of Nel and Jonathan Roche. Youth comes to the fore with 20-year-old Yaqeen Ahmed selected at fly-half, linking with scrumhalf Imad Khan in what Ahmed describes as a career moment. Lock Deon Fourie returns to the squad after injury recovery, bolstering the provincial pack ahead of an expected intense contest. Kick-off is 19:00 South African Standard Time on Friday, 7 August.

The eight-match tour will pit New Zealand against four United Rugby Championship sides and four Tests against the Springboks, with the fourth Test played in Baltimore in September. The opening fixture sets the tone for what both unions have billed as a historic revival of the traditional tour format.