Jimmy Cowan has been ruled out of the second TriNations/Bledisloe Cup match to be played in Christchurch and has been replaced by Piri Weepu.
All Blacks Coach Graham Henry have named a team with just three changes from the team that beat Australia 49 – 28 in Melbourne on the weekend.
Piri Weepu is in the number nine jersey and uncapped halfback Alby Mathewson is on the bench, with Jimmy Cowan not considered for selection because of his rib injury, while midfielder Benson Stanley comes onto the bench in jersey 22 for the unlucky Israel Dagg, who has hardly put a foot wrong in his limited Test opportunities to date.
28-year-old centre Ma’a Nonu, who made his debut as a 21-year-old against England in 2003, reaches a special milestone this weekend, playing his 50th Test, while prop Tony Woodcock plays his 67th Test this weekend, becoming the sole most capped prop in All Blacks history.
Last weekend’s Test against Australia, meanwhile, saw first five-eighth Daniel Carter pass a number of significant points-scoring milestones: with 1094 points so far in his Test career, Carter is now the second highest points scorer in international Test history behind England’s Jonny Wilkinson (1178) and he has also scored 226 points against the Wallabies, the most by any international player against any international opponent in the history of the game.
“The win on the weekend in Melbourne was very pleasing and the exciting thing is that there is a real desire amongst the players to build on that performance,” Henry said.
“It’s good to be back in Christchurch, there’s a real Test match buzz in the city, and the guys are really looking forward to playing in the re–built AMI Stadium,” he added.
That buzz saw several thousand fans turn out for an All Blacks Open Day at QE2 Park yesterday with more public events in the city throughout the week. Tickets to the Bledisloe Cup – Tri Nations Test on Saturday are selling fast.
The All Blacks have played Australia in Christchurch 12 times since 1913, with eight wins to the All Blacks and four to Australia.
The last Bledisloe Cup Test in Christchurch was the 32–12 All Blacks win in 2006, which established a record 19 successive home Test wins for the All Blacks, with hooker Keven Mealamu starring with two tries.
1. Tony Woodcock (66) , 2. Keven Mealamu (77) , 3. Owen Franks (15) , 4. Brad Thorn (43) , 5. Tom Donnelly (10) , 6. Jerome Kaino (30) , 7. Richie McCaw – captain (86) , 8. Kieran Read (22) , 9. Piri Weepu (41) , 10. Daniel Carter (72) , 11. Josevata Rokocoko (64) , 12. Ma’a Nonu (49) , 13. Conrad Smith (38) , 14. Cory Jane (18) , 15. Mils Muliaina (86)
Reserves: , 16. Corey Flynn (10) , 17. Ben Franks (5) , 18. Samuel Whitelock (6) , 19. Victor Vito (3) , 20. Alby Mathewson – uncapped , 21. Aaron Cruden (5) , 22. Benson Stanley (3)