All Blacks make one forced change
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The All Blacks have made one forced change to their side to face the Wallabies in the second Bledisloe Cup rugby Test in Auckland on Saturday night.
Prop Tony Woodcock’s unavailability through injury has opened the way for Wyatt Crockett to return to the Test arena after a break of 12 months.
Woodcock suffered rib damage in New Zealand’s 27-19 win over Australia in Sydney last weekend in the opening round of the Rugby Championship and was ruled out on Tuesday.
While Woodcock has 87 caps, the 29-year-old Crockett, who made his debut in 2009, has six Test appearances.
The last of those was against the Wallabies at Eden Park last August, when New Zealand ran out 30-14 winners.
Coach Steve Hansen says the All Blacks were happy with the victory in Sydney last Saturday, but want an improved performance this week.
He expects the Wallabies to lift in intensity and the All Blacks will have to be ready to match that.
Meanwhile, squad members Charlie Faumuina, Tamati Ellison and Adam Thomson have been released to their respective provinces for this week’s opening round of the ITM Cup.
The All Blacks management are keen for the trio to get game time.
© AAP 2013All Blacks: Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Ma’a Nonu, Sonny Bill Williams, Hosea Gear, Dan Carter, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Liam Messam, Sam Whitelock, Luke Romano, Owen Franks, Keven Mealamu, Wyatt Crockett.
Reserves: Andrew Hore, Ben Franks, Brodie Retallick, Victor Vito, Piri Weepu, Aaron Cruden, Ben Smith.
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The Crowd Says (8) | Page 1 of Comments
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August 23rd 2012 @ 7:33am
moaman said | August 23rd 2012 @ 7:33am | Report comment
I see they have gone for continuity. Another sub-standard performance like last week and I would be very surprised if changes weren’t made for the next match.
It will be interesting too to see whether or not greater use of the bench is made this week.If they continue to ignore the bench as they more or less did last week (Romano-Retallick excepted) then that raises questions,to me,about the composition of the reserves.
i.e impact v versatility. Is Weepu superflous if an ‘impact’ player ,or one with a point of difference,isn’t required?
….Makes me wonder too,though it’s too early to tell,if Hansen was not a proponent of ‘Rotation’!
August 23rd 2012 @ 8:07am
Tumble Hill said | August 23rd 2012 @ 8:07am | Report comment
Moaman, Agree with what you are saying. Although id say we will see changes for the next match no matter what the result will be, which is against Argentina in Wellington. Cruden hopefully starting, Savea on the wing, Vito in for Messam and possibly Faumuina, Ellison or B Smith getting a start.
August 23rd 2012 @ 8:12am
Kuruki said | August 23rd 2012 @ 8:12am | Report comment
I will be very surprised if they have another poor showing. Interesting he has stuck with Romano, i thought he was the better option off the bench.
August 23rd 2012 @ 8:29am
z1000 said | August 23rd 2012 @ 8:29am | Report comment
Hansen said in a press conference that due to the stop start nature of the game fatigue wasn’t a factor & there wasn’t a need to go to the bench however in the next match if there’s huge intensity & a huge ball in play time we’ll have to use the bench.
See 3.33sec below
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/best-of-rugby-analysis/news/video.cfm?c_id=1502181&gal_objectid=10828115&gallery_id=127496
August 23rd 2012 @ 10:34am
all7days said | August 23rd 2012 @ 10:34am | Report comment
Messam needs to lift. Surprised Hore isn’t starting
August 23rd 2012 @ 10:40am
Jiggles said | August 23rd 2012 @ 10:40am | Report comment
The poor performers last week were the backs, apart from Dagg. The Forwards really did their job in bashing the Wobs into submission.
August 23rd 2012 @ 2:16pm
kerry NZ said | August 23rd 2012 @ 2:16pm | Report comment
Wallabies start playing dirty game !!
Wookcock out due to a cheap shot to the ribs ( off the ball ) from a Wallaby front row boy as replayed on TV, just blatant and sorry to see happening.
Surprised McCaw not rested from all the off ball biff he received from Higginbotham as well as some more from one of the front row boys.
The Aussies wonder why the can not win against the AB’S, well start by spending time on the ball and leave the dirty play out.
August 23rd 2012 @ 10:06pm
Kuruki said | August 23rd 2012 @ 10:06pm | Report comment
Shaun Johnson wants to go to Rio for the Olympic games sevens. He would be a killer play maker.