Dane Coles will get the chance to add weight to his status as the All Blacks’ hooker of the future when he faces South Africa for the first time in his short Test career.
Coles has been given the No.2 jersey ahead of veterans Keven Mealamu and Andrew Hore for the showdown between the Rugby Championship’s two unbeaten sides in Auckland on Saturday.
Mealamu has been included on the bench, while Hore, the starter in the three rounds of the tournament so far, will sit out the contest.
Coles has played eight Tests since making his debut at the end of 2012.
He was in the run-on side for the first two of the three matches against France in June, before picking up an injury.
He has come off the bench in the All Blacks’ past two Tests.
Coach Steve Hansen says it’s time to hand the 26-year-old his chance “in the big ball park”.
“He’s somebody we see as the future and we think now is the time to give him an opportunity to go against the best,” he said.
“If he hadn’t injured his calf earlier in the year, he probably would have started a few more Tests.”
Hore, who has 79 caps, turns 35 on Friday and is reportedly set to step away from the international arena before New Zealand’s end-of-year tour.
Whether retirement came this year or some other time, Hansen said he didn’t see Hore being at the 2015 World Cup and that was part of the thinking in the selection.
As for whether Mealamu, 34 and with 105 Tests under his belt, would make it there, Hansen said: “If his body holds up, I think he’s got a possibility, yes, so we will have to wait and see how he goes.”
In all, there are five changes to the line-up that began the 28-13 win over Argentina in Hamilton last weekend.
At openside flanker, Sam Cane will earn his 10th cap as replacement for skipper Richie McCaw, who suffered a knee injury against the Pumas.
Returning from injury are centre Ma’a Nonu, tighthead prop Owen Franks and blindside flanker Liam Messam.
Messam missed the start of the Rugby Championship with a hamstring problem and Test rookie Steven Luatua performed impressively in his absence.
Messam’s availability means Luatua goes to the bench, where he will also provide cover for lock.
Hansen says the decision over who would get the No.6 jersey ended up being straightforward.
“If Liam goes on and re-injures himself, and he has come off the bench, then we can’t put someone back on,” he said.
“From that point of view, that was the clincher, but we also think he’s probably a more physical player than Steven at this stage and he’s definitely more experienced. We thought it was a better balance.”
