By AFP
November 5th 2008 @ 2:27am
Super 14 tipping now live for sign-ups. Join now and invite your mates..
---------------
Mealamu leads altered All Blacks against Scotland
All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu will captain New Zealand for the first time against Scotland this Saturday at Murrayfield after coach Graham Henry unveiled a team showing 12 changes.
Johnson names four debutants in England team
Regular captain Richie McCaw is now on the bench, as is star back and ace goalkicker Dan Carter, with only three survivors from the starting line-up that beat Australia in last weekend’s Bledisloe Cup clash - fullback Isaia Toeava, outside-half Stephen Donald and lock Ali Willams retaining their places.
Mealamu, 29, who will be appearing in his 62nd Test this weekend, will become the 63rd All Blacks captain as he leads the team out for the opening leg of their Grand Slam tour of the British Isles.
He is the fourth player of Samoan heritage to captain the All Blacks in a Test, following Tana Umaga, Jerry Collins and Rodney So’oialo.
“Keven is one of the key players in the All Blacks and a strong leader and we congratulate him on reaching this significant milestone,” said New Zealand coach Graham Henry.
The former Wales boss defended his selection on the grounds his team were playing Tests on five consecutive weekends, as well as a midweek fixture against Irish province Munster.
“This is a strong team with a mix of experienced players and new faces and we have picked the best team to win this Test match,” Henry said.
Three players are set to make their Test debuts - Southland front-row forward Jamie Mackintosh, Waikato No 8 Liam Messam and Canterbury loose forward Kieran Read.
All three captained their provincial teams this year.
New Zealand and Scotland last met during the 2007 World Cup when the All Blacks beat a largely second-string Scottish side 40-0 at Murrayfield.
“We will not be taking the Scottish team lightly. They will be playing with passion and determination in front of a vocal Murrayfield so we are expecting a physical encounter,” Henry added.
NEW ZEALAND (15-1)
Isaia Toeava; Anthony Tuitavake, Richard Kahui, Ma’a Nonu, Joe Rokocoko; Stephen Donald, Piri Weepu; Liam Messam, Adam Thomson, Kieran Read; Ali Williams, Anthony Boric; John Afoa, Keven Mealamu (capt), Jamie MackintoshReplacements: Corey Flynn, Neemia Tialata, Ross Filipo, Richie McCaw, Andy Ellis, Dan Carter, Cory Jane
Super 14 tipping now live for sign-ups. Join now and invite your mates.
Free Email updates:
Our daily emails are only sent if there is content for the sport or that author. You can subscribe to multiple daily emails; or get the daily Roar email with all our content in it. We value privacy. More...
© 2008 AFP
(8)
Loading ...
Nick (KIA) said | November 5th 2008 @ 7:39am | Report comment
That’s about the team I thought he might go for.
I’d have been keen to see him retain Gear instead of Tuituvake - he didn’t get too mnay opportunities last week.
Jerry said | November 5th 2008 @ 7:46am | Report comment
That’s a very loose forward pack, I reckon Read will have to adopt a very tight Reuben Thorne like role (basically just making tackles, hitting rucks and clearing out) as Thompson and Messam play very loose styles. There’s perhaps a lack of grunt in the tight forwards also, with Williams, Afoa and Mealamu all playing it quite loose, while Boric is largely anonymous.
The backline looks dangerous, Donald should find more chances against Scotland than he did against Aus and I’d like to see how Kahui goes with Nonu.
Benjamin said | November 5th 2008 @ 11:30am | Report comment
I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a weak AB team during Henry’s tenure. The xv is certainly lacking leadership.
ohtani's jacket said | November 5th 2008 @ 12:08pm | Report comment
I like Weepu starting and Mealamu as captain. I’m a little surprised that Jane didn’t get the nod over Toeava. Amusing that Carter and McCaw are on the bench.
Jerry said | November 5th 2008 @ 12:37pm | Report comment
Benjamin — The Scotland fixture in 2005 was a very inexperienced side, as was team that played the Barbarians on that same tour (though it should be noted that many of the rookie players in that Scotland game have gone on to amass many more caps).
Still this is a very green side, especially in the pack. With such a green (and loose) forward pack and Donald at 10, I can see the AB’s perhaps struggling to impose their desired shape on the match. Scotland may look to play up the jumper 10 man rugby and could do so effectively. On the other hand, there is a fair amount of strike power in the All Black backline and if the game opens up the backs may cut Scotland to shreds and that AB pack will be able to play that sort of game 100% better than the Scottish pack.
It’s amazing to think though, that only 3 of the starting XV went to the World Cup last year.
ohtani's jacket said | November 5th 2008 @ 4:19pm | Report comment
I imagine the All Blacks will play like silly buggers. They’ll be too athletic for Scotland, but I don’t have any great hopes of seeing a quality performance. The set pieces will be interesting.
Benjamin said | November 5th 2008 @ 7:48pm | Report comment
Jerry, I think Hadden has made some key selection errors in the Scotland pack. Once rucking was made redundant Scotland never managed to translate their old NZ-imitation quick rucking brand onto the modern game. Having had such a light pack historically Hadden seem/s/ed obsessed with developing a bigger pack. The continued selections of Hines and Hamilton as a second row combo best illustrates this. This ploy was successful v Italy during the 07 WC group stages but IMO it is now out of date. The Scottish lineout has gone from a huge strength to a weakness and under the NH ELVs the number of lineouts have increased thus it would make sense to have a lighter jumper, Murray or Kellock, at 5. Hadden hasn’t even accounted for this on the bench and has given a role to that old warhorse Matt Muschtin - a 6′4 2nd row. Further, with no rolling mauls there is very little point in this heavy pack as mobility is now key - something that Johnson seems to have recognised with England. I would expect NZ to run this pack off their feet. To that extent Henry has made some clever moves.
ohtani's jacket said | November 6th 2008 @ 12:20am | Report comment
Our old mate Barnes is reffing this. I wonder if he’ll have fun.