New All Blacks wing Mark Telea in training.

New All Blacks wing Mark Telea. Image: Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images.

South African-qualified wing to debut for All Blacks

Mark Telea – who is half South African, half Samoan – to make Test debut for All Blacks against Scotland at Murrayfield in Edinburgh.

New All Blacks wing Mark Telea in training.

New All Blacks wing Mark Telea. Image: Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images.

Blues wing Mark Telea – who is half South African, half Samoan – will make his Test for debut after he was named in the All Blacks’ starting lineup for Sunday’s match against Scotland in Edinburgh.

Before his selection for the All Blacks, 25-year-old Telea also qualified to play for the Springboks through his South African father and for Samoa through his Samoan mother.

Telea burst onto the scene in 2020, delivering one eye-catching performance after the other for the Blues in Super Rugby and his form has finally been rewarded with a call-up to the All Blacks.

All Blacks ring the changes

Telea replaces Sevu Reece on the right wing in one of seven changes to the All Blacks side that thrashed Wales 55-23 in Cardiff last week.

David Havili’s inclusion at inside centre has led New Zealand coach Ian Foster to start Jordie Barrett, who wore the No 12 shirt against Wales, at fullback from where his older brother Beauden has been moved to flyhalf.

Richie Mo’unga, New Zealand’s starting No 10 in Cardiff, has been dropped from the All Blacks match-day 23 completely.

Elswehere in the backs, Scotland-born and raised Finlay Christie starts at scrumhalf in place of Aaron Smith, with Anton Lienert-Brown at outside centre instead of the benched Rieko Ioane.

Up front, Akira Ioane comes in at blindside flanker for Shannon Frizzell, Nepo Laulala takes over from tighthead prop Tyrel Lomax and Samisoni Taukei’aho replaces hooker Codie Taylor.

Foster has also made three changes to his bench from last week’s encounter in Cardiff, with loosehead prop George Bower, halfback TJ Perenara and utility Stephen Perofeta now among the All Blacks replacements.

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All Blacks team:

15 Jordie Barrett; 14 Mark Telea, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 David Havili, 11 Caleb Clarke; 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Finlay Christie; 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Dalton Papali’i, 6 Akira Ioane; 5 Scott Barrett, 4 Samuel Whitelock (captain); 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Ethan de Groot.
Substitutes: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 George Bower, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Tupou Vaa’i, 20 Shannon Frizell, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Stephen Perofeta, 23 Rieko Ioane.

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