New Zealand No 8 Kieran Read will make his World Cup debut against Canada on Sunday after overcoming a serious ankle injury in the strongest loose forwards mix available to coach Graham Henry after the side was named on Friday.
Read, who suffered a high ankle sprain in the final Tri-Nations match against Australia on August 27, joins captain Richie McCaw and Jerome Kaino in the loose forwards in what has been Henry’s first choice combination for the best part of two years.
Veteran fullback Mils Muliaina also returns to the side to earn his 99th test cap, while Israel Dagg who has usurped Muliaina in the fullback’s role, has moved to the wing.
New Zealand have already won Pool A and qualified for the quarterfinals where they will play the runner-up of Pool B in Auckland on October 9.
Team: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Israel Dagg, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (C), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Sam Whitelock, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Brad Thorn, 19 Anthony Boric, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Colin Slade, 22 Isaia Toeava.