The most experienced team in All Blacks’ history will face France this weekend, after New Zealand coach Steve Hansen recalled his big guns for the Paris clash.
Hansen’s run-on team announced on Thursday has 853 caps, with a further 112 available on the bench for a combined record of 965, in a sign the world champions are not taking the mercurial French lightly.
“France are one of our great foes and there is a rich history of matches between our two countries, so we are certainly looking forward to this weekend,” Hansen said.
With Hansen’s team bidding to become the first All Blacks’ side ever to finish the year with a 100 percent win record, the coach ditched the experimental line-up that defeated Japan 54-6 in Tokyo last week.
Eight first-choice All Blacks – including stalwarts such as Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu and Ma’a Nonu – sat out the Japan game and travelled straight to France for the European leg of the tour, which also includes Tests against England and Ireland.
Hansen said he was sticking with the core group of players who had delivered 11 wins from 11 Tests so far this year.
“In the end it was a pretty easy team to pick,” he said.
“It’s pretty consistent with what we’ve been running with most of the year.”
The main talking point was the absence of wing Julian Savea due to a flu virus, with Cory Jane returning from a hamstring injury to take his place alongside fellow wing Charles Piutau.
Hansen said Piutau, the rookie among the starting No.15 with just eight caps, had been in “electric” form and deserved his spot.
Skipper Richie McCaw returns to his favoured No.7 position after being played at No.8 in Tokyo, while star flyhalf Dan Carter will move to 99 Tests at the Stade de France.
Regular No.8 Kieran Read and blindside flank Liam Messam complete a fierce back row, as the All Blacks seek to extend their winning streak to 12 this season and notch a fourth win for the year over Les Bleus after whitewashing them 3-0 at home during the June internationals.
“The full squad has come together well after the Japan Test and are united with a common purpose – to play well on this … European tour and put in performances that we can all be proud of,” Hansen said.
“But we know this weekend’s Test won’t be easy – the French will come at us with real physicality, passion and something new.
“As well, the Dave Gallaher Trophy is again on the line, it means a lot to the team, and is certainly something extra to play for this weekend.”
New Zealand: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Ben Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Charles Piutau, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (Captain), 6 Liam Messam, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Steven Luatua, 20 Sam Cane, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Aaron Cruden, 23 Ryan Crotty.
Date: Saturday 9 November 2013
Venue: Stade de France, Paris
Kick-off: 22:00 SA Time (21:00 France Time, 20:00 GMT, 09:00 Sunday NZ Time)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Stuart Berry (South Africa)
TMO: Jim Yuille (Scotland)
Bloody good side, but if there is ONE critisism, it is that Ben Smith is wrongly being applied at Outside centre.
At wing is where he is simply devastating and a try-scoring machine, not at outside centre.
As good as either Cory Jane or Charles Piutau is at wing, I’d rather have employed Ben Smith at wing (either side for that matter) and sacrificed one of Jane or Piutau in favour of a specialised No 13 who would play while Conrad Smith is on his End Of Year Sabatical.
Anyhow whatever the case, I see the All Blacks trampling all over France on the weekend, with better wins than they managed against them in June, reason being is that the All Blacks have grown massively in the last few months.
Something light
The haka may be the mythical war cry that New Zealand rugby players chant before international matches but according to flank Liam Messam, the man who gets to lead it is decided by looks.
Messam, 29, has been bestowed with the honour in recent matches, taking over from the likes of hooker Keven Mealamu or scrum-half Piri Weepu – who has not been selected for this tour.
And asked why he thought he was picked to lead the haka, Messam, who hopes to be asked once again on Saturday at the Stade de France against France, said his ugly features were as important as his Maori background.
“Hopefully, if I make the team I’ll be up there leading it but if not we’ve got some good leaders,” he said.
“You’ve got to write a CV and send it to (captain) Richie McCaw and he picks it from there,” he joked.
“I’m not sure, I guess being Maori myself, that’s our native people and being given the opportunity is a huge opportunity for me and my people to lead the haka.
“First off, you’ve got to be ugly. There’s about 99 percent of the boys that are ugly so we’re in a good way there.
“Being confident and being able to express yourself and don’t worry what other people think. New players to the haka maybe worry about what other people think but the uglier and scarier you are the better.”
Asked who was the ugliest player most suited to leading the haka, Messam said rampaging centre Ma-a Nonu’s battle-scarred features were the most suitable while the teen boy-band look of Aaron Cruden was least likely to be seen at the front of the pack.
“Probably Ma’a Nonu (is the ugliest), he’s pretty ugly,” said Messam.
“Probably Aaron Cruden (is the least ugly), he’s a bit of a pretty boy.”
While neither of those is likely to be asked, Messam is ready to step forward if given the chance.
“I’m a bit old fashioned, whatever I get told from my elders, I do,” he said.
“Keven Mealamu used to lead the haka and Kevie bestowed upon me to lead it and whatever he says, I’ll do it. I’m not too worried or fussed, it’s something I grew up with living in Rotorua.”
For Mealamu, the haka is just part of the preparation for the game.
“The haka’s not done for (the opponents), it’s done for us. It’s part of our preparation, it’s nothing to do with trying to scare them.
“It’s about us, it’s part of our history of rugby, we’ve been doing the haka for over 100 years.
“We just try to make sure we do it well and if the people enjoy it, it’s a good tradition of rugby.”
“When playing against France, you have to prepare for their best team because they’re capable of pulling out, even when they’re not going well, some very good rugby.
“So we’ve prepared to see their best team, the best France team that we could possibly see at the weekend.
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