No Masaga as McCaw back to lead All Blacks

By NZPA, 4 Jul 2009 NZPA is a Roar Pro

Tagged:: All Blacks, International Rugby, Lelia Masaga, Rugby Union

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All Blacks captain Richie McCaw celebrates a 39-10 victory over the Wallabies during the Rugby Union Bledisloe Cup Australia v New Zealand rugby test match at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, August 2, 2008. AAP Image/Photosport, Andrew Cornaga

Exciting winger Lelia Masaga is the most notable omission from the All Blacks side named on Saturday to contest the Tri-Nations rugby championship.

The 30-man squad features the return of world class captain and flanker Richie McCaw, No.8 Rodney So’oialo and winger Sitiveni Sivivatu, who missed the Tests against France and Italy last month due to injury.

Also introduced are two members of the Junior All Blacks — winger Hosea Gear and lock Jason Eaton — while prop Owen Franks and lock Bryn Evans are officially included in the squad after being classified as on standby through June.

The inclusion of Franks as a fifth prop boosts the number of forwards to 17, representing a change of heart from the selectors’ pronouncement last week that they would select a 16-14 forwards-backs split.

Masaga is squeezed out, despite a solid debut against Italy in Christchurch last weekend. Gear’s form in the Pacific Nations Cup proved hard to ignore and he joins Joe Rokocoko and Sivivatu — who has overcome a dislocated shoulder — as the wing specialists.

Also welcomed back are McCaw from a knee injury and long-time loose forward comrade So’oialo, who was officially on “recovery and rehabilitation” last month.

Players not considered for selection due to injury include lock Ali Williams (Achilles), winger Rudi Wulf (shoulder), flanker Adam Thomson (hand), centre Richard Kahui (shoulder), lock Anthony Boric (toe), halfback Andy Ellis (ribs), hooker Corey Flynn (forearm), flanker Scott Waldrom (back) and flyhalf Daniel Carter (Achilles).

Also, utility back Isaia Toeava is likely to miss the first three Tests of the Tri-Nations because of injury. He was named in the squad despite a scan late this week confirming that he has a stress fracture in his left foot.

Flyhalf Stephen Donald is also recovering from a hamstring strain that ruled him out of the Italy Test.

Four players will be present as cover when the All Blacks have a training camp in Wellington on Wednesday and Thursday. They are Wellington utility back Tamati Ellison, Canterbury flyhalf Stephen Brett, Canterbury prop Ben Franks and North Harbour outside back Anthony Tuitavake, who were all members of the Junior All Blacks.

All Blacks Coach Graham Henry was under no illusions how challenging this year’s Tri-Nations would be.

“It’s going to be a huge contest right from the first Test,” he said.

“But this group of players has the resolve and the character to meet that challenge head on so we are expecting it to be another massive competition between the three top-ranked countries in world rugby.”

The All Blacks open the tournament against Australia in Auckland on July 18, followed by concurrent Tests in South Africa against the Springboks — in Bloemfontein on July 25 and Durban on August 1.

They play the Wallabies at Sydney on August 22 and finish the competition with two home Tests against the Springboks in Hamilton on September 12 and the Wallabies in Wellington on September 19.

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The Crowd Says (14) | Page 1 of Comments

Jerry said | July 4th 2009 @ 10:34am | Report comment

Gear is less of a risk than Masaga – he may not have quite the top line pace or acceleration, but he’s much safer under kicks and on defence. He’s also got a better kicking game (he’s not a great kicker, but Masaga is about as good as your average prop).

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katzilla said | July 4th 2009 @ 12:02pm | Report comment

After Ross’s superb form and solid set piece play not much has been made of Ali Williams injury as there would have been had there been no one to stand up.
Gear deserves another chance at the top and i’d probably say he has more form then Rok.

The return of Both McCaw and Rodney will give us the go forward at the collision area that we have been lacking and hopefully things will gain momentum from there.
We’re been written off by alot of OZ and SA media (as well as a few NZ as well) and it could be a good thing, I don’t think we will present half as bad as some people think come 3N.

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Peter K said | July 4th 2009 @ 1:05pm | Report comment

With the top players back the ABs are a real threat and deserve equal footing with the Wallabies at least. With 2 home games they should be slightly ahead. Boks still look favourites to me.

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sunshinecoaster said | July 4th 2009 @ 6:13pm | Report comment

Gear is rubbish at the top level,he got found out on tour,haven’t seen him playing Pacific nations cup but its hardly anywhere near test level,another conservative gutless selection from the worst All Blacks back coach in history,Wayne Smith,Masaga is twice the strike force of Gear but oh dear Smith wont take a risk,again

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Jerry said | July 4th 2009 @ 6:37pm | Report comment

Rubbish at the top level? He’s only played one test. Same as Masaga, who didn’t really carve it up against Italy.

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Hayden said | July 5th 2009 @ 6:52am | Report comment

Tri Nations predictions: Wallabies in for a wake up call. Italy and a tired Fance have left them with an inflated opinion of themselves.
Boks for the wooden spoon. They should have put this Lions side away, had all the advantages, and yet can count themselves lucky to win 2 -2.
AB’s: if their key players stay healthy, another 3N and Bledisloe. Yawn.

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Hayden said | July 5th 2009 @ 6:52am | Report comment

2-1 obviously.

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pothale said | July 5th 2009 @ 7:01am | Report comment

Ah no – I think 2-2 was a fairer reflection, Hayden.

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Jerry said | July 5th 2009 @ 8:37am | Report comment

Probably Pothale – the 2nd test goes down as a win for both the Lions and the Boks. The Lions won the match where Burger got red-carded and the Boks get the win for the one where he only got yellow.

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WLN said | July 5th 2009 @ 9:04am | Report comment

McCaw is great but short of match fitness he’ll be a threat by reputation only. RWC07 has already showed us what happens when players like So’oialo get “recovery and rehabilitation”. Any kiwis remember that tournament? Hopefully Gear gets the nod ahead of Roko who should not be there and would not had he not been Smith and Henry’s adopted Malawai baby. If theres any other reason why he’s still in Black someone please let me know. Gear, Siti and Mils might set Eden Park alight. If they were playing outside Giteau. Instead the AB’s have a real problem about Donald, or Poseur Mac-A-Lister. Neither has confidence or strategic nouse. Compounding this dilemma is that while they have a worldbeater in Piri Weepu they are content to leave him as their cultural ambassador and they don’t let him take the field unless he’s poked his tongue out and then devoured a couple of Big Macs, large fries and all of the halftime oranges. With no set half-flyhalf combo and such a poor linkage between the backs and forwards it’s no wonder the backline attack is lame. The midfield has no chance and the back three have to make their own luck. Henry might think he has time to fix it, but he’s dreaming. He’s just not that good a coach.

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