Patrick Osborne
Tawera Kerr-Barlow
Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Patrick Osborne are the main additions to the New Zealand squad for their Rugby Championship decider in Sydney on Saturday.
The All Blacks and Wallabies have each won 2 games in the compacted 3-Round tournament, with Australia sitting at the Top of the standings – with a slender 1-point advantage in the points differential column.
The biggest concern ahead of the All Blacks’ trip to Australia is midfielder Ma’a Nonu’s availability, who remains in doubt for the encounter which doubles as a Bledisloe Cup Test, with a shoulder complaint.
While Nonu has been cleared of a serious shoulder injury, coach Steve Hansen is unsure whether he’ll be available to play the Wallabies.
“It’s too early to tell,” Hansen said.
“We’re not going to risk him if he’s not right, and it’s a big season so we’ve got plenty of cover there. We’ll just see how it goes.”
Kerr-Barlow comes in for Andy Ellis, while the Highlanders wing, Osborne, has also joined the squad due to the injuries to Waisake Naholo and Cory Jane.
Kerr-Barlow will be desperate to get back onto the Test stage after missing the Super Rugby season because of a knee injury.
Flyhalf Dan Carter and centre Sonny Bill Williams also return after being rested for the trip to South Africa, while Charlie Faumuina was among 7 props named in the squad as he continues his recovery from neck surgery.
Jane still has hopes of being part of the All Black squad that will start the defence of their Rugby World Cup title next month, but the 53-test veteran sprained his ankle playing for the New Zealand Barbarians against the Maori All Blacks in July.
“It’s more for the future really,” Hansen said of Osborne’s inclusion.
“With Waisake out 3 months and Cory still struggling with his injury, we just wanted to make sure we had someone else that has been in the environment.”
Hurricanes flyer Nehe Milner-Skudder looks more likely to make his Test debut in 1 of the 2 matches against the Wallabies, after recovering from a rib injury suffered in the Super Rugby Final.
Hansen said Faumuina’s cover player, Nepo Laulala, had been impressive.
“The hardest part for those tight forwards when they come in is picking up the understanding of how we’re playing. But he seems to have done that okay. He’s a good athlete and he has certainly scrummed well enough,” he said.
Hansen said he wouldn’t be looking for ‘something special’ from players to force their way into contention.
“All our team members need to understand, and I think they are starting to, is that they have just got to do their own job. There’s plenty of good players around them and if everyone does their own job and they’ve prepared well then we’ve got plenty of talent to get the job done, and then special things will happen because of that,” he said.
The 41-man squad will be reduced to 31 for the trip across the Tasman Sea on Wednesday for the match, which also doubles as the 1st of 2 tests for the Bledisloe Cup.
All Blacks squad: Dane Coles, Hikawera Elliot, Keven Mealamu, Codie Taylor; Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Nepo Laulala, Joe Moody, Tony Woodcock; James Broadhurst, Brodie Retallick, Luke Romano, Jeremy Thrush, Samuel Whitelock; Sam Cane, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw (captain), Liam Messam, Kieran Read, Matt Todd, Victor Vito; Tawera Kerr-Barlow, TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith; Beauden Barrett, Daniel Carter, Colin Slade, Lima Sopoaga; Ryan Crotty, Malakai Fekitoa, Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Sonny Bill Williams; Israel Dagg, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Patrick Osborne, Charles Piutau, Julian Savea, Ben Smith.