Codie Taylor named All Blacks captain for Bulls match

Codie Taylor has been appointed captain of the All Blacks for the upcoming match against the Bulls. The hooker earns his first captaincy in his 110th appearance for the national side as he returns from injury.

Head coach Dave Rennie praised Taylor, describing him as a leader who has contributed significantly to the tour group. Rennie noted that the appointment is a proud moment for the centurion. The match serves as the final warm-up for the squad before their first Test against the Springboks.

Alongside Taylor, props Xavier Numia and Tyrel Lomax will make their first appearances of the tour. The squad features six players who participated in the 54-0 victory over the Sharks on Tuesday, including Josh Lord, Wallace Sititi, Timoci Tavatavanawai, and Emoni Narawa. Halfbacks Kyle Preston and Cortez Ratima are also playing their third game of the tour.

In total, 14 players in the 23-man squad against the Bulls featured in the opening match against the Stormers. The starting lineup includes Beauden Barrett, Leroy Carter, Rieko Ioane, Anton Lienert-Brown, Josh Moorby, Josh Jacomb, Cortez Ratima, Peter Lakai, Anton Segner, Simon Parker, Patrick Tuipulotu, and Fabian Holland.

Rennie highlighted the difficulty of the fixture, noting that the Bulls have reached the United Rugby Championship finals in four of the last five seasons. He also identified Loftus Versfeld as a formidable venue. The coach stated that the game provides an opportunity for players to compete for Test selection.