Bigger Is Better For NZ
Aug 15,2012
The All Blacks have named an imposing midfield combination for Saturday’s Rugby Championship opener against Australia in Sydney.
The 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 flyhalf and All Blacks vice-captain Daniel Carter; in the midfield Ma’a Nonu comes in for the injured Conrad Smith at outside centre, with Sonny Bill Williams at inside centre. 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 for Saturday’s Test match, with Charlie Faumuina and Adam Thomson travelling with the matchday 22.
All Blacks squad members Wyatt Crockett, Tamati Ellison, Sam Cane and Julian Savea will remain in New Zealand.
New Zealand: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Ma'a Nonu, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Liam Messam, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Brodie Retallick, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Aaron Cruden, 22 Ben Smith
Comments (6)
Aug 16, 2012 at 17:52:30
Sorry, have I missed something? Wasn't Sonny Jimminy Billy Bob off to Japan and done with the AB's? Or is that later?
Aug 17, 2012 at 05:28:31
Its a decent AB team. Certainly good wenough to beat the Wobblies and the Bokke. Im interested to see how the $BW, Nonu pairing works. So much hype about it but I suspect it wont be nearly as great as some rugby scribes have made them out to be. Anyways, the Abs should be too classy for the Wobblies and Im picking them to win the inaugral "Championship" comfortably.
Also, the big is better headline is a little misleading. Its almost as if the author is trying to imply that the Abs are copying Meyers myopic big is best selection policy. Pffft, noone is copying Meyer.
Aug 16, 2012 at 08:26:21
Nothing to worry about in the pack which looks pretty ordinary. McCaw on the slide and Messam not a great.
Glad they picked old men Woodcock and Mealamu. Locks are also pretty average.
Meyer please pick the right pack of forwards and we could surprise the world chumps dispite all the injury problems etc!
Aug 16, 2012 at 10:40:15
I get very nervous when you speak like that Beeno.
Read is the best 8 in the world currently, McCaw, for all he is, is the best 7 and very inspirational. Thank god they have Messam and not Kaino but Messam is still a damn good player. Nothing wrong with their locks. Romano is our Etzebeth and Whitelock is our Bekker. Their front row is world class too.
Trust me, their forwards are not a weakness. We just need to find a pack to match that!
Aug 17, 2012 at 06:40:21
I love it when you talk us down Beeno :-))