A much better team

[Te Kaha]

With no butterfingers lauaki

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4635611a1823.html

McCaw back as All Blacks changes made

Henry describes selections as 'tactical'


By DOUG SAIL - Stuff.co.nz | Tuesday, 29 July 2008
BREAKING NEWS: Richie McCaw returns to lead a All Blacks team that contains several changes from the one demolished by Australia in last weekend's Bledisloe Cup test in Sydney.

McCaw returns to the side exactly six weeks since he suffered a high ankle sprain against England in Christchurch.
There are brackets at hooker and halfback with final decisions expected on Thursday as injuries to Andrew Hore (hip pointer), Andy Ellis (ribs) and Jimmy Cowan (knee) are monitored.

McCaw's return sees Daniel Braid dropped to the reserves bench in a bracket with Adam Thomson while Rodney So'oialo switches to number eight and Jerome Kaino to the blindside flank.
Sione Lauaki, who had a disastrous match when he came on in the second half, has been omitted from the squad completely.
Braid's bracketing is probably to cover McCaw again in case the skipper suffers a recurrence of his ankle injury.
Other changes see Conrad Smith returned to the starting line up pushing Richard Kahui to bench while winger Anthony Tuitavake is out of the squad completely, with Mils Muliaina moving from fullback to the wing to accommodate the return of Leon MacDonald.
Smith now faces the daunting task of marking Australian captain Stirling Mortlock who missed last week's 34-19 win over the All Blacks because of concussion suffered in their opening Tri Nations match against South Africa a week earlier.
"We've made some tactical changes in our selections,'' All Blacks coach Graham Henry said.
"But we also need to change how we play. Clearly there are areas we need to improve on from Sydney. We have to have the right game plan and execution.''

The team is:
Leon MacDonald, Mils Muliana, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Daniel Carter, Jimmy Cowan/Andy Ellis/Piri Weepu; Rodney So'oialo, Richie McCaw (c), Jerome Kaino (c), Ali Williams, Brad Thorn, Greg Somerville, Andrew Hore/Keven Mealamu , Tony Woodcock.
Reserves: Hore/Mealamu, John Afoa, Anthony Boric, Adam Thomson/Daniel Braid, Jimmy Cowan, Stephen Donald, Richard Kahui

 

[Twizzle]

better team, gonna be hard for the Wobblies to repeat last weekends sucess

at least Mortlock may be back for us

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Awesome. McCaw's return is a no-brainer but really pleased to see Conrad Smith back, not only is he an awesome player but Nonu is way better when playing alongside him.
God to see that muppet Lauaki dropped too.

And lol at the first line of the report, since when is a 15 point loss (which should have been 8 points considering the ABs weren't given a clear penalty try) getting "demolished"? Stupid NZ Rugby media.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

15. Macdonald
14. Muliaina

is pretty crap

Macdonald is an average player and Muliaina is way too slow to be a winger

This is one of the most talentless and uninspiring All Black's backlines on paper I've ever seen

 

[Alehana]

hmmm, mils isn't a winger, more a centre than a winger, and we all know what can happen when he plays centre, macdonald should be in europe, way past it....

gahhh, usually in these type of situations, where the underdog in a series of matches, beats the favourite, they basically play their best hand, exhaust all their options, show the opposition (all blacks in this case) how they can beat them and they do, usually in the return match, the favourite (all blacks from b4 game 1) will win,
but
knowing robbie deans, hes probablly got an even better backup plan, no he showed his backup plan first game, now he will reveal his real plan, god this isn't looking good,

 

[kia ora storm]

Mate...talk about desperate. Conrad Smith will get smashed by Mortlock and if Nonu has a shocker then the Aussie backs will be laughing !!!.

Muliaina is not a winger although has the tricks and size to compensate.

The loosies are going to have be a lot faster this week...Sooialo is not playing well and Kaino does not have the pace to match Waugh and Smith.

I am sorry to say this but it could get ugly again....

 

[Twizzle]

Foxsports are reporting McCaw will be in the squad but may not take the field as he has still not recovered from his injury

 

[kia ora storm]

Foxsports are reporting McCaw will be in the squad but may not take the field as he has still not recovered from his injury

Even worse !!!!...

 

[Alehana]

i'm going to try to avoid watching this match, and turn off my phone for the weekend

 

[African Monkey]

I'll be watching.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

f**k you lot are a bunch of pathetic crybabies.

 

[Thomas]

Hmmm. I don't see much difference.

Australia by 4 or 5. The loss of Elsom will hurt, but having two top class fetchers in the team will be interesting to say the least.

Smith has been playing in what looks to be a dummy half role sometimes...linking with the big fellas and taking some pressure of Burgess.

I still think the AB's need another ball player at inside centre. Nonu is a one trick pony and it showed big time on the weekend.

I rekcon the AB forwards will step up to the plate...but the Aussie will still dominate at the breakdown.

 

[Thomas]

Leon MacDonald is out....

Breaking news.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/thepress/4636989a6429.html


Who's going to replace him?

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Leon MacDonald is out....

Breaking news.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/thepress/4636989a6429.html


Who's going to replace him?

Muliana back to fullback would be obvious. We've got tons of wingers so no dramas there- in fact in some ways I'd prefer it as it keeps Mils in his best position.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Hmmm. I don't see much difference.

Australia by 4 or 5. The loss of Elsom will hurt, but having two top class fetchers in the team will be interesting to say the least.

They've done it before though and it didn't really work then. Will be insteresting to see if anything's changed.

I still think the AB's need another ball player at inside centre. Nonu is a one trick pony and it showed big time on the weekend.

I thing Conrad Smith will be the required creativity into the centres, although nobody but me seems to rate him. Nonu's fine if used properly, needs to be a bit wider than last week where he can use his power to make clean breaks.

 

[Thomas]

They've done it before though and it didn't really work then. Will be insteresting to see if anything's changed.

Yeah, having two fetchers certainly didn't work in the 2003 RWC semi

With the ELV's...having two fetchers would work. Faster game and more emphasis on the breakdown. I dare say if the weather turns sour (and lets face it...the game is in NZ) I reckon Hugh McManymmmmmms will start and Waugh will come on after 60 minutes when McCaw is struggling.


[quot]
I thing Conrad Smith will be the required creativity into the centres, although nobody but me seems to rate him. Nonu's fine if used properly, needs to be a bit wider than last week where he can use his power to make clean breaks.[/quote]

Too right about Nonu. He was too close to Carter. I reckon he'd make a good 13 but that's a position where defence is critical and perhaps he'd be too cumbersome.

I rate Smith. He'd make a good 12 although there are questions about his defence. I reckon he'll have a good game and Mortlock won't run over him too much.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Yeah, having two fetchers certainly didn't work in the 2003 RWC semi

One win doesn't really prove the point. I've always rated both players, just not on the same team. I think your pack lacks grunt in that circumstance. Elsom, Smith and Palu provide a much more balanced combo.

 

[Thomas]

Yes...Elsom is a loss...but I think with the ELVs the two fetchers could prove to be a good decision

 

[kia ora storm]

If the AB's look to play an aggresive controlled game then they can win tonight.

The distriibution from the ruck needs to be faster...Cowan will provide this.

Kaino needs a big game...I am not convinced that he is AB standard.

Kahui is also not up to standard...I wlould have left Tuitavake in the team. A specialist winger who has not had much ball and deserves another chance.