The All Black team to face the Wallabies in the opening fixture of the inaugural Rugby Championship has been named, with the expected centre pairing of Sonny Bill Williams and Ma’a Nonu starting together.
Nonu replaces the injured Conrad Smith, who will miss the first few test matches due to an eye injury. Hosea Gear, Cory Jane and Israel Dagg form a formidable back three, that is sure to give the Australians hell!
Richie McCaw captains the side from the side of the scrum, while Kieran Read returns and Liam Messam completes the loose trio. Luke Romano and Sam Whitelock form a somewhat inexperienced lock combination, given the amount of caps around them.
New Zealand: 15-Isreal Dagg, 14-Cory Jane, 13-Ma’a Nonu, 12-Sonny Bill Williams, 11-Hosea Gear, 10-Dan Carter, 9-Aaron Smith; 8-Kieran Reed, 7-Richie McCaw, 6-Liam Messam, 5-Sam Whitelock, 4-Luke Romano, 3-Owen Franks, 2-Keven Mealamu, 1-Tony Woodcock.
Substitutes: 16-Andrew Hore, 17-Ben Franks, 18-Brodie Retallick, 19-Victor Vito, 20-Piri Weepu, 21-Aaron Cruden, 22-Ben Smith
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Wow. This is a really good and experienced side. I just hope the boks hit their form by the time we have to play them.
last time i saw nonu @ 13 for rhe ABs was in 2003 it will be interesting to see how he & SBW interchange as to who receives the ball @ 1st 5. the chiefs were successful in manufacturing mismatches for sbw & blitz defences like they did to the sharks in the final.
fainga’a & horne will have a torrid time if these two fire.
@Megatron (Comment 2) :
I can’t see either of the two Aussie centres stopping a rampaging SBW or Nonu..
They will have to load the backline with loosies, creating gaps elsewhere..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 3) : pocock to have his hands full then and dan karra can do those inside passes ALL game long.
kiwis need to thump aus for us
the AB’s thumping the Ausies…….
Ausies with a Sharp try right on half time…
Aus 10 – 18 NZ
Half time
Ausies pulling the game back again…
Aus 16 – 23 NZ
52min
Aus 19 – 24 NZ
With 5 min to go