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The Māori All Blacks conclude their historic tour of the Americas with a match against the Cóndores at the sold out Estadio San Carlos de Apoquindo in Santiago on Saturday. With calm weather on the horizon it’s a chance for the New Zealanders to stretch their legs after running into a determined Brazil side in the São Paulo rain last weekend.
Seven changes are made to the Māori starting lineup, four up front. Ben May makes way for Ross Wright at loosehead prop with Tyrel Lomax starting at tighthead and fellow New Zealand international Jackson Hemopo at lock. Billy Harmon swaps to the bench with Mitchell Karpik handed the No7 jersey.
Bryn Hall gets his first start of the tour, with another arrival from Japan, Matt Proctor, named at outside center. A bit of musical chairs in the back three sees Matt Lansdown shift to the left wing, Shaun Stevenson move to the right, and former Samoa age-grade rep Josh Ioane named at fullback.
Pablo Lemoine has changed a third of the team that were beaten by the Sudamérica XV. Vittorio Lastra arrives from Italy to start at loosehead with Tomás Dussaillant restored at hooker. Nikola Bursic starts in the absence of Mario Mayol at lock in the only other change to the starting forward pack, with Anton Petrowitsch once again asked to play second row.
A youthful halfback combination sees Marcelo Torrealba replace Juan Pablo Perrotta at No9, with the only other alteration in the backs a similar reshuffle to the Māori in the outside backs. Tomás Ianiszewski moves to his preferred fullback, Franco Velarde to the left wing, and José Ignacio Larenas comes into the squad on the right wing.
There are two uncapped players on the roster. Tomás Contreras is named in the midfield alongside Cóndores Sevens captain Felipe Brangier, and fellow national u20 graduate Augusto Böhme is named as a reserve hooker.
This is the first real battle for Lemoine’s Chilean side since the former Teros prop and coach was appointed in August. Lastra, Dussaillant, and Larenas, bolster the side but Chile remain without several front line players including European-based professionals such as Ramón Ayarza and Pablo Huete. Given the likely playing conditions it’s hard to see anything but a one-sided domination by the tourists to cap their stay in the Americas.
Kick-off is set for 4pm local time, 2pm Eastern. Canal 13 will broadcast to those in Chile with a live stream available on All Blacks TV for those located elsewhere.
CHILE
1 Vittorio Lastra, 2 Tomás Dussaillant, 3 Alfonso Lepe, 4 Anton Petrowitsch, 5 Nikola Bursic, 6 Javier Richard (capt.), 7 Alfonso Escobar, 8 Ignacio Silva, 9 Marcelo Torrealba, 10 Santiago Videla, 11 Franco Velarde, 12 Tomás Contreras, 13 Felipe Brangier, 14 José Ignacio Larenas, 15 Tomás Ianiszewski
Replacements: 16 Augusto Böhme, 17 José Tomás Munita, 18 Oliver Thompson, 19 Eduardo Orpis, 20 Martín Sigren, 21 Domingo Saavedra, 22 Francisco González Moller, 23 Pedro Verschae
MᾹORI ALL BLACKS
1 Ross Wright, 2 Ash Dixon (capt.), 3 Tyrel Lomax, 4 Jackson Hemopo, 5 Pari Pari Parkinson, 6 Reed Prinsep, 7 Mitchell Karpik, 8 Akira Ioane, 9 Bryn Hall, 10 Otere Black, 11 Matt Lansdown, 12 Rob Thompson, 13 Matt Proctor, 14 Shaun Stevenson, 15 Josh Ioane
Replacements: 16 Robbie Abel, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Marcel Renata, 19 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 20 Billy Harmon, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Teihorangi Walden, 23 Jonah Lowe
Date: Saturday, November 17
Kick-off: 16:00 local (11:00 Pacific, 14:00 Eastern)
Venue: Estadio San Carlos de Apoquindo, Santiago
Referee: Pali Deluca (UAR)
Assistants: Joaquín Montes (URU) & Francisco González (URU)
TMO: Santiago Borsoni (UAR)
Broadcasts: Canal 13, All Blacks TV
