Rugby Championship: Crotty returns to All Blacks XV

Ryan Crotty returns to the All Blacks' starting XV in the only change for their Rugby Championship clash with Argentina.

Crotty scored New Zealand's opening try of the Championship in the first of two victories over Australia, as Steve Hansen's men retained the Bledisloe Cup.

The Crusaders centre missed the second clash through injury, with Anton Lienert-Brown coming in to make his debut.

However, Crotty is now fully recovered from his head knock and will don the number 12 shirt once again in Hamilton on Saturday.

"In selecting this team, we felt there was the need for consistency," Hansen said. 

"The squad is five games into re-establishing themselves on the international stage and we felt that it would not be right to make a lot of changes.

"We know we'll be facing a completely different challenge this week. Argentina will bring their traditional physicality up front and flair in the backs and we will have to be ready for whatever they throw at us."

 

New Zealand XV in full: Ben Smith, Israel Dagg, Malakai Fekitoa, Ryan Crotty, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith; Joe Moody, Dane Coles, Owen Franks, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Jerome Kaino, Sam Cane, Kieran Read.

Replacements: Codie Taylor, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Luke Romano, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Aaron Cruden, Anton Lienert-Brown.

 

 

Photo: Getty Images