Scott Barrett Returns to Lead All Blacks Against England

New Zealand captain Scott Barrett is set to return to the field, leading the All Blacks against England on November 4, 2023, at Twickenham Stadium. Barrett has had limited action during the All Blacks’ November tour, managing only two minutes due to a deep cut on his knee sustained in their match against Ireland on November 1. He left the game early in New Zealand’s 26-13 victory and subsequently missed last weekend’s narrow win over Scotland.

Barrett’s return means that promising lock Josh Lord will shift to the bench despite his strong performances against Ireland and Scotland. Coach Scott Robertson announced several changes to the starting lineup, with Leicester Fainga’anuku taking over for Caleb Clarke on the left wing. Clarke was ruled out after failing a head injury assessment following a knock sustained in the match against Scotland, which the All Blacks won 25-17.

The lineup also sees Billy Proctor stepping into the outside centre position, with Quinn Tupaea moving to inside centre. The other alteration in the squad is the return of Simon Parker, who replaces Wallace Sititi in the loose forward trio. Parker featured in the win over Ireland but did not make the matchday squad for the Scotland game.

Robertson expressed confidence in his team’s preparation for the upcoming challenge against England, highlighting the significance of playing at such an iconic venue. “Twickenham is one of the iconic venues in world rugby, and there is nothing quite like hearing 80,000 fans singing ‘Swing Low’ to get the adrenaline pumping,” he stated. He noted that recent encounters between the two teams have been closely contested and both sides come into this match with a string of victories.

The All Blacks’ starting lineup for the match against England includes:

15 – Will Jordan
14 – Leroy Carter
13 – Billy Proctor
12 – Quinn Tupaea
11 – Leicester Fainga’anuku
10 – Beauden Barrett
9 – Cam Roigard
8 – Peter Lakai
7 – Ardie Savea
6 – Simon Parker
5 – Fabian Holland
4 – Scott Barrett (captain)
3 – Fletcher Newell
2 – Codie Taylor
1 – Ethan de Groot

On the bench, the All Blacks have:
16 – Samisoni Taukei’aho
17 – Tamaiti Williams
18 – Pasilio Tosi
19 – Josh Lord
20 – Wallace Sititi
21 – Cortez Ratima
22 – Anton Lienert-Brown
23 – Damian McKenzie

As the All Blacks prepare for this pivotal match, fans anticipate a thrilling encounter that promises to be a highlight of the rugby calendar.