Bledisloe Cup: TJ Perenara returns for All Blacks' second test against Australia

The All Blacks have made one injury enforced change to their starting side to play Australia in the second Bledisloe cup test in Auckland on Saturday.

Midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown has been ruled out with a knee injury suffered late in last week's 33-25 All Blacks win

In Lienert-Brown's absence, Rieko Ioane will shift infield to start in the No. 13 jersey, while Will Jordan moves on to the right wing to make his sixth All Blacks appearance.

Halfback TJ Perenara has also been named to the gameday squad to make his long-awaited return to test rugby as the only change to the bench.

The 29-year-old Hurricanes veteran hasn't played for the All Blacks since the 38-0 win over Argentina in Newcastle in November.

Bledisloe Cup: TJ Perenara returns for All Blacks' second test against Australia
Photo credit: Getty/Newshub.

He missed this year's Super Rugby season to take up a short-term deal with Japan's NTT Red Hurricanes but has earned test eligibility via club rugby appearances for Petone, and will take his place on the bench for his 70th test cap, after being called in as a late injury replacement for Finlay Christie.

All Blacks coach Ian Foster had initially planned to give Perenara more time within the camp before recalling him, only for Christie's injury to fast track his comeback. The Blues and Mako halfback faces four to six weeks on the sidelines with a muscle tear in his shoulder.

His return comes at Brad Weber's expense, but Foster insists Perenara's selection is no reflection of any permanent change in the halfback pecking order.

"I think it's just a chance to get him back involved… to give TJ an opportunity and get him back on the park.

"Certainly not an indictment on Brad at all and I'm pretty sure that competition will keep growing."

Hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho retains his place in the reserves, after Dane Coles was scratched with injury in the hours leading up to the first test. Coles faces a recovery period of up to six weeks with a calf strain.

Foster describes Lienert-Brown's medial strain as "pretty minor" and doesn't expect the Chiefs centre to face any long-term absence.

With his team just a win away from retaining the Bledisloe Cup for the 18th straight year, Foster is bracing for plenty of desperation from the Wallabies this weekend.

"It's been a very 'forward looking' week," says Foster. "We were delighted with the result last weekend and obviously had some things that we had to work on this week so that has kept us focussed.

"We know that Australia will be disappointed with the result and will lift. It’s a do or die game for them.

"But the Bledisloe Cup means a lot to us. It's an historic trophy and it’s easy for people to take it for granted based on results in recent years, but throughout history it has been a hard Cup to win, so it’s hugely important."

His forward pack unchanged from the one which took the field last weekend, Foster says the team need to build on a performance that was slightly tarnished by a stuttering finish, in which the Wallabies ran in three late tries.

"We need growth and I think the best way to keep growth at this stage of the season is to keep developing the combinations.

"There were a lot of lessons from last week and while there was a lot said about the things that didn't go well and we have to make sure we enhance those opportunities again."

All Blacks: 1-George Bower, 2-Codie Taylor, 3-Nepo Laulala, 4-Brodie Retallick, 5-Sam Whitelock (cap), 6-Akira Ioane, 7-Dalton Papalii, 8-Ardie Savea, 9-Aaron Smith, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-Sevu Reece, 12-David Havili, 13-Rieko Ioane, 14-Will Jordan, 15-Damian McKenzie 

Reserves: 16-Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17-Karl Tu'inikuafe, 18-Angus Ta'avao, 19-Scott Barrett, 20-Luke Jacobson, 21-TJ Perenara, 22-Beauden Barrett, 23-Jordie Barrett

Join us from 7pm, Saturday for live updates of the second Bledisloe Cup test between the All Blacks and Australia