Cane and Perenara will bow out for the All Blacks against Italy

TURIN, Italy (AP) — Retiring All Blacks Sam Cane and TJ Perenara will get to bow out in New Zealand’s last autumn rugby tour match against Italy on Saturday.

Cane is starting in the back row in his 104th and last test since his 2012 debut, and Perenara will come off the bench for his 89th test since 2014.

New Zealand changed five on Thursday after losing to France 30-29 in Paris last weekend.

Cane’s return as the openside flanker for the concussed Samipeni Finau has forced Ardie Savea to No. 8 and Wallace Sititi to the blindside.

Loosehead prop Ethan de Groot makes his first appearance on the five-match tour after he missed out on playing Ireland for not meeting unspecified “internal standards.” Tamaiti Williams’ form kept him at loosehead against England and France but a neck injury made him unavailable this week.

Patrick Tuipulotu also rotates into the second row for Tupou Vaa’i.

In the two backline changes, center Jordie Barrett’s knee injury against France has seen him replaced by Anton Lienert-Brown, with David Havili coming onto the bench, and Mark Tele’a has recovered from a hand injury to reclaim the right wing from Sevu Reece.

“As our first ever match in Turin, our final match of the 2024 test season, and the farewell match for Sam and TJ, this will be a great occasion,” All Blacks coach Scott Robertson said. “We are determined to finish our season in a way that honors and celebrates the immense contribution that Sam and TJ have made to the black jersey.”

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New Zealand: Will Jordan, Mark Tele’a, Rieko Ioane, Anton Lienert-Brown, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett, Cam Roigard; Ardie Savea, Sam Cane, Wallace Sititi, Patrick Tuipulotu, Scott Barrett (captain), Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot. Reserves: Asafo Aumua, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Tupou Vaa’i, Peter Lakai, TJ Perenara, David Havili, Damian McKenzie.