Ethan Blackadder has thrust himself into contention for Saturday's second Test against the Springboks after a near-complete performance in the All Blacks' midweek victory over the Lions.
The 31-year-old loose forward, who watched from the sidelines as New Zealand claimed a resounding first-Test win in Johannesburg, produced a display of controlled aggression at Ellis Park that head coach Dave Rennie described as phenomenal. Blackadder's statistics told the story: 16 carries, two turnovers won, 70 metres gained, three offloads and two tries in a match where the All Blacks trailed 35-17 before scoring four unanswered tries in the final half-hour.
"It was a lot of fun out there; it was a tight contest, and we only really took the lead in the last 15 minutes," Blackadder told reporters. "We made a few errors, our discipline gave them some entries, and then we were under the horns. Rieko Ioane led well and had some good messages for a young group."
The timing of Blackadder's performance could scarcely be better. Josh Lord's concussion has opened a vacancy in the touring squad, with Tupou Vaa'i tipped to shift into the second row alongside Fabian Holland. Patrick Tuipulotu, who captained the side against the Lions, remains another option at lock. Either scenario creates space in the loose-forward mix, where Blackadder has now made an unanswerable case.
Selection headache for Rennie
Rennie will name his matchday squad on Thursday, and the Ellis Park evidence suggests Blackadder has done enough to warrant inclusion—whether in the starting XV or on the bench. The All Blacks have also lost openside Anton Segner for the remainder of the tour, further thinning their back-row resources ahead of the Cape Town fixture and the two Tests that follow at FNB Stadium and in Baltimore.
Yet the broader narrative around attrition may be overstated. Rennie emerged from the Lions encounter with no fresh injury concerns beyond those already confirmed, leaving him with close to a full deck for the DHL Stadium clash. Rieko Ioane and Emoni Narawa also impressed in the midweek win, while Richie Mo'unga showed flashes of his best form on his return to the black jersey.
The Springboks, meanwhile, will take note. Rassie Erasmus rarely makes the same mistake twice, and the sight of an All Blacks squad maintaining depth and form despite the rigours of a multi-Test tour will sharpen South African focus. History cautions against reading too much into midweek results—the 2017 British and Irish Lions blew a 23-7 lead against the Hurricanes three days before drawing the second Test in Wellington—but Blackadder's emergence adds a dimension Rennie did not possess a week ago.
Whether that translates into a starting berth on Saturday remains to be seen. What is certain is that the All Blacks head to Cape Town with options, and Blackadder has ensured his name is at the top of the list.