|
Match two in the Bledisloe, and a bit of
experience back into the All Black side with the return of Richie McCaw to the
pack. Also a return to a bit of sanity, with So'oilao back to eight and
Kaino on the side - where they play their provincial and super rugby in the
main.
Insanity too though, with Richard Kahui playing
on the wing - a huge slap in the face for Tuitavake and Wulf, and every other
wing in New Zealand rugby. Even worse than the slap from earlier in the
week when Muliaina was selected there with Panadol MacDonald at fullback - that
made sense, getting two world class fifteens onto the field, this latest
selection, well, not so much...
The Wobblies have picked both Waugh and Smith
for two bulldog openside flankers (70 and 97 tests between them, both more than
any single Kiwi) which will be a real challenge for McCaw in his first game back
for six weeks.
The Wobblies bench packs a ton more impact and
experience than the All Black one, and that could be the winning and losing of
the match. Piri Weepu and John Afoa from the bench adds to the whole of
the All Blacks. The rest, well, jury is out. Donald and Tuitavake
unproven, Mealmau horribly out of form, Boric and Thomson also unproven.
So please, for once, no early injuries!!
Convict team Stats:
15 Adam Ashley-Cooper (ACT Brumbies) :
24 years : 15 tests : 1.82m : 98kg
14 Peter Hynes (Queensland Reds) : 26 years : 4 tests : 1.80m : 92kg
13 Stirling Mortlock (ACT Brumbies) : 31 years : 66 tests : 1.91m :
100kg
12 Berrick Barnes (Queensland Reds) : 22 years : 8 tests : 1.83m : 87kg
11 Lote Tuqiri (NSW Waratahs) : 28 years : 61 tests : 1.91m : 103kg
10 Matt Giteau (Western Force) : 25 years : 55 tests : 1.78m : 85kg
9 Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs) : 24 years : 4 tests : 1.79m : 89kg
Backline tests: 213, average 30.
8 Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs) : 25
years : 20 tests : 1.94m : 120kg
7 George Smith (ACT Brumbies, captain) : 28 years : 87 tests : 1.80m :
103kg
6 Phil Waugh (NSW Waratahs) : 28 years : 70 tests : 1.75m : 100kg
5 Nathan Sharpe (Western Force) : 30 years : 68 tests : 2.00 : 115kg
4 James Horwill (Queensland Reds) : 23 years : 5 tests : 2.00m : 115kg
3 Al Baxter (NSW Waratahs) : 31 years : 55 tests : 1.90m : 116kg
2 Stephen Moore (Queensland Reds) : 25 years : 24 tests : 1.86m : 112kg
1 Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs) : 24 years : 10 tests : 1.83m : 113kg
Forward pack tests: 339 tests, average
42.
16 Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs) :
22 years : 4 tests : 1.81m : 113kg
17 Matt Dunning (NSW Waratahs) : 29 years : 38 tests : 1.82m : 115kg
18 Daniel Vickerman (NSW Waratahs) : 29 years : 53 tests : 2.04m :
115kg
19 Hugh McMeniman (NSW Waratahs) : 28 years : 13 tests : 2:00m : 114kg
20 Sam Cordingley (Queensland Reds) : 32 years : 18 tests : 1.78m :
87kg
21 Ryan Cross (Western Force) : 28 years : 3 tests : 1.91m : 99kg
22 Drew Mitchell (Western Force) : 24 years : 22 tests : 1.82m : 95kg
Reserve tests: 151 tests, average 22.
Total tests: 703, average 32.
All Black team stats:
1 Tony Woodcock (North Harbour, Blues) :
27 years : 42 tests : 1.84m : 118kg
2 Andrew Hore (Taranaki, Hurricanes) : 29 years : 31 tests : 1.83m : 111kg
3 Greg Somerville (Canterbury, Crusaders) : 24 years : 61 tests : 1.83m : 126kg
4 Ali Williams (Tasman, Crusaders) : 27 years : 52 tests ; 2.02m : 112kg
5 Brad Thorn (Tasman, Crusaders) : 33 years : 17 tests : 1.95m : 113kg
7 Rodney So’oialo (Wellington, Hurricanes) : 28 years : 47 tests :
1.90m : 107kg
7 Richie McCaw (Canterbury, Crusaders, captain) : 27 years : 62 tests : 1.87m : 106kg
8 Jerome Kaino (Auckland, Blues) : 25 years : 7 tests : 1.96m : 109kg
Forward pack tests: 319 tests, average
39.
9 Jimmy Cowan (Southland, Highlanders) :
26 years : 13 tests : 1.82m : 91kg
10 Dan Carter (Canterbury, Crusaders) : 26 years : 50 tests : 1:78m : 91kg
12 Ma’a Nonu (Wellington, Hurricanes) : 26 years : 24 tests : 1.82m : 102kg
11 Sitiveni Sivivatu (Waikato, Chiefs) : 26 years : 27 tests : 1.85m : 100kg
13 Conrad Smith (Wellington, Hurricanes) : 26 years : 17 tests : 1.86m : 95kg
14 Richard Kahui (Waikato, Chiefs) : 23
years ; 2 tests : 1.86m : 95kg
15 Mils Muliaina (Waikato, Chiefs) : 27 years : 61 tests : 1.83m : 93kg
Backline tests: 194, average 28.
16 Keven Mealamu (Auckland, Blues) : 29
years : 56 tests : 1.81m : 106kg
17 John Afoa (Auckland, Blues) : 24 years : 6 tests : 1.83m : 126kg
18 Anthony Boric (North Harbour, Blues) : 24 years : 3 tests : 2.00m : 110kg
19 Adam Thomson (Otago, Hurricanes) : 26 years : 4 tests : 1.96m : 112kg
20 Piri Weepu (Wellington, Hurricanes) : 24 years : 20 tests : 1.78m : 95kg
21 Stephen Donald (Waikato, Chiefs) : 24 years : 2 tests : 1.90m : 98kg
22 Anthonry Tuitavake (Harbour, Blues) :
26 years : 3 tests : 1.82m : 89kg
Reserve tests: 94 tests, average 13.
Total tests: 607, average 28.
|