The All Blacks have named their team to face Australia in the opening Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship match at ANZ Stadium in Sydney with Ma’a Nonu coming in for the injured Conrad Smith.
rugbyweek
The starting front row features the most capped All Blacks prop and hooker of all time in Tony Woodcock and Keven Mealamu, alongside Owen Franks, while Sam Whitelock links with Luke Romano in the second row.
In the loose forwards, Liam Messam is again at blindside flanker, All Blacks captain Richie McCaw is back at openside after playing number eight in his last All Blacks outing, with Kieran Read returning to the eight jersey.
In the backs, halfback Aaron Smith combines with returning first five-eighth and All Blacks Vice-Captain Daniel Carter; in the midfield Ma’a Nonu comes in for the injured Conrad Smith at centre, with Sonny Bill Williams at second five-eighth.
Cory Jane returns to the right wing, Hosea Gear is on the left and Israel Dagg is fullback.
All Blacks Head Coach Steve Hansen said: “Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup contest brings two challenges. The first is our opponents who we clearly respect.”
“But just as important is the second challenge, which is about us being better than we were before. ”
“The expectation this All Blacks team has is that it will strive to achieve these goals, both individually and collectively as a team.”
A squad of 24 will travel to Sydney this afternoon for Saturday’s Test match, with Charlie Faumuina and Adam Thomson travelling with the match day 22.
All Blacks squad members Wyatt Crockett, Tamati Ellison, Sam Cane and Julian Savea will remain in New Zealand. The All Blacks return to Auckland on Sunday to prepare for the return Bledisloe Cup match at Eden Park on Saturday 25 August.
All Black team:
1 Tony Woodcock, 2 Keven Mealamu, 3 Owen Franks, 4 Luke Romano, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 6 Liam Messam, 7 Richie McCaw (Captain), 8 Kieran Read, 9 Aaron Smith, 10 Daniel Carter, 11 Hosea Gear, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 13 Ma’a Nonu, 14 Cory Jane, 15 Israel Dagg
Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Brodie Retallick, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Aaron Cruden, 22 Ben Smith.
Yawn like Nonu and Umaga was = Fail Too slow for outside
Remember how everyone got pissed of when Nick selected Pieter Mulder everytime? Well I bet they wish we had him still.
@ Spooony:
Pieter Muller or Japie Mulder?
@ Spooony:
If you think Nonu is slow then you are truly delusional….
Umaga SLOW?
Maybe now, yes, as a coach in France…..
He was one of the fastest men out there in his prime 1998-2007), imo.
According to Wikipedia and the NZ rugby sites Tana Umaga played his first 18 tests on the wing.
He only moved to centre to make room for Doug Howlett, a NZ olympic sprinter.
Also, Umaga preferred to play midfield.
No sloach, this guy, in his heyday.
@ Winston:
Well was Umaga slow? No yet he and Nonu failed playing 12 and 13.Thats why the banged on Nonu or SBW at 12. And yes Nonu buffed up and lost pace just as Umaga did. He after all move to 12 to extend his career because for the wing he lost pace. Nonu 25 year old is not Nonu 30 year old. Like saying Bolt will be faster than now in 4 years time. Science does not compute simple
Cheers
@ Pietman:
Pietman Wikipedia is full of errors. He and Nonu played together losing to England in NZ. That was in 2003 I think. Go to ESPN scrum to see what position he played in everyone of his tests.
@ Spooony:
Thx, I saw that….first test at #11 in 1997, it says there.
Also check news.bbc.co.uk for stats; 18 tests on the wing….he kept Joe Rocokoco out of the side for a while. Also played fullback, I noticed.
@ Loosehead:
Pieter oom!
Damn, I wish SBW was playing in the games against the Boks, be very interesting to see him and Nonu against Jean and Frans. Must admit, judging by Super 15, Nonu has not been great lately, so not sure what they picked him, maybe Robbie Fruen would have been a better bet, but some same his defense is suspect. Any suggestions who they could have picked instead of Nonu?
@ cat66:
10
I do too. Really wish SBW was going to be in the ABs team when we face them. Jeez with Jean and Fransie as our centre pairing. I would say… BRING IT ON! Would have loved to have seen SBW facing up to Fransie. Now that would have been awesome. Two best inside centres in the world. Pity he is off to Japan now. ABs should have negotiated to have him for the whole of the RC.
Anyhow they will have another but think with JdV and FS we have the best centres in world rugby. A long side NZ.
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