Wing Leroy Carter to make his All Blacks debut against the Boks

Leroy Carter will make his All Blacks debut against South Africa, capping a rapid rise from the sevens circuit to the Test arena.

The winger was named in the starting side after a strong domestic season, with selectors backing his aerial work and finishing rather than easing him in from the bench in a lower-pressure fixture.

Debuting against the Springboks is not a gentle introduction. The Boks target the back three relentlessly with contestable kicks, and a new wing can expect early examination under the high ball.

Teammates described him as unfazed, and coaches pointed to his sevens background as preparation for exactly the kind of broken-field decisions the fixture tends to produce.