Kieran Read
Kieran Read will play in his first Test of the year, after finally overcoming the concussion issues that has sidelined him for months.
Read’s inclusion in the starting 15 is one of two changes to the team hat will play England in the third and final Test of the June series at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, on Saturday.
The All Blacks made just the two changes, injecting Read and Malakai Fekitoa to the starting line up as they chase a clean sweep in the series.
Coach Steve Hansen said he’d decided not to try new combinations with the series already won, as he looks to develop his preferred run-on side – who were far from perfect in winning the first two Tests 20-15 and 28-27.
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“Whilst we felt we improved from the first Test to the second, there are areas of our game we want to improve on and that has been the focus for us this week,” he said when naming the side.
“We enjoy playing in Hamilton and in front of a sold-out Waikato Stadium we are looking forward to producing a quality performance that we can all be proud of.”
Read’s return at the back of the scrum was expected after he was cleared of the concussion issues that have sidelined him for most of the past two months, while fledgling international Fekitoa earns promotion with Conrad Smith out injured.
It has been a rapid rise to stardom for the talented Fekitoa who has blossomed this year with the Highlanders after being rejected by the Blues.
After getting a taste of international rugby off the bench in the first Test he earns his first start with Smith ruled out with a broken thumb.
The return of Read, the world player of the year, sees Jerome Kaino move to the side of the scrum and Liam Messam dropping back to the bench.
Hansen’s desire to improve suggests the quality rugby the All Blacks produced when they ran in three tries in the third-quarter of the second Test is the standard he wants to see for the full 80.
Also at stake for the All Blacks is equalling the record for a nation of 17 consecutive Test victories currently held by the 1965-69 All Blacks and 1997-98 Springboks.
The last time the All Blacks were on the cusp of equalling the record was when they played Australia in Brisbane two years ago and the match ended in an 18-18 draw.
In the second Test against England last week, flyhalf Beauden Barrett set a world record for never being on a losing side with his 18th win from 18 Tests.
New Zealand: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (Captain), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Tony Woodcock
Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Liam Messam, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Beauden Barrett, 23 Ryan Crotty.
Date: Saturday 21 June 21
Venue: Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Kick-Off: 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 08:35 BST, 07:35 GMT)
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
Assistant Referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), James Leckie (Australia)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)
wonder what the long term risk is for Read? sure the docs have cleared him but worry that one knock could end his career or worse. hoping he gets through this test unscathed.
Malakai starting (nice one to let go Sir John)
and facing of against Manusamoa is mouth watering, worth the price of admission alone.
loving that loose forward combination, best in the world bar none.
ABs by about 14
nga puhi wrote:
I thought so last week but NZ took the foot off the accelerator and let the English back in.
Is Tuilagi playing in midfield?
I thought he was somewhat wasted on the wing, but having said that Burrel and Twelvetrees both had half decent games. Twelvetrees is a TOTALLY different type of player though.
Expected Tuilagi to cut back inside a lot more and try to punch through with Twelvetrees running off his shoulder.
Should be a good game. Pity I won’t be able to watch. Have to record it and try to catch it later I guess.
Scrumdown
12ts has been dropped
got this from another website, but believe it is fairly accurate
England team to face New Zealand
Third Test, Steinlager Series, Waikato Stadium, Saturday, June 21, 7.35pm NZST/8.35am BST
15 Mike Brown (Harlequins, 28 caps)
14 Chris Ashton (Saracens, 38 caps)
13 Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 24 caps)
12 Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby, 3 caps)
11 Marland Yarde (London Irish, 4 caps)
10 Freddie Burns (Gloucester Rugby, 4 caps)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 37 caps)
1 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 21 caps)
2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints, 56 caps)
3 David Wilson (Bath Rugby, 36 caps)
4 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 31 caps)
5 Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers, 21 caps)
6 Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 29 caps)
7 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, captain, 27 caps)
8 Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 9 caps)
Replacements:
16 Rob Webber (Bath Rugby, 7 caps)
17 Matt Mullan (London Wasps, 4 caps)
18 Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons, 1 cap)
19 Joe Launchbury (London Wasps, 21 caps)
20 Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby, 22 caps)
21 Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints, 17 caps)
22 Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks, 8 caps)
23 Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)
agree that the ABs took the pedal off, still dont think Englands penultimate try was grounded, SA ref and Aussie TMO helped England make it look closer than it was imo 😉
Hoping the ABs can equal the 17 test winning sequence, would be one helluva birthday present.
Hmm. So Lancaster dropped both centres, and is starting with Lawes in the second row. Interesting.
Some strange selections in there that don’t make much sense to me, but then WTF do I know?
With Hartely and Lawes starting, England to play with 14 for at least 10 minutes.
When one looks at this England side there are no real “super stars”, but it really is a case of the sum of the individuals being a half decent team.
Mike Brown will, I think get better and better and will become a “super star” if he stays injury free.
nga puhi wrote:
Agree 100%.
Peyper didn’t want to award it but TMO almost “bullied” him into it saying that the hand underneath the ball was the “white hand” and that he should award the try.
WTF????
Any hand under the ball means it isn’t grounded.
Are the ref’s too shit scared to make a call themselves even with the video playback on the big screen?
@ Scrumdown: lol at the 14 men part..
havent seen Burns at flyhalf at all, so not sure what to expect there either. Launchbury on the bench the big surprise to me.. good to see Tuilagi back in the centres, couldnt understand the decision to play him on the wing last week, Lancaster is building good depth for Eng, they are going to be a real force at home in the WC,
and agree about Peyper, he seemed to think there was real doubt, though I am still trying to fathom why he told about 6 ABs that the ball wasnt out in the lead up to the try.
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