Stephen Donald and Ma’a Nonu will form a new All Blacks midfield combination for their crucial Tri-Nations clash against South Africa in Hamilton on Saturday.
There had been speculation that Dan Carter, widely hailed as the world’s best five-eighth, might take over the No.12 jersey for the Test following injuries to centres Luke McAlister and Conrad Smith.
But All Blacks coach Graham Henry decided against the move in the team named Tuesday, instead picking Donald, who played in Carter’s place during the star’s lengthy injury break this year.
Henry has the option of interchanging Carter and Donald in their positions and he gave little away Tuesday, keen to keep South Africa guessing.
“We’ll just have to see how the plot works out on the day. There’s no point giving you the plot now because it will be boring on Saturday,” Henry jokingly told journalists.
“Hopefully it will come together well.”
As expected, Nonu will play outside centre in the absence of Smith, who, along with McAlister was injured in the All Blacks’ 19-18 win over the Wallabies in Sydney last month.
“I don’t think in my wildest dreams I would have partnered Ma’a Nonu in the midfield for the All Blacks. But I am and I am rapt about it,” Donald said.
“We have played a lot of rugby with me at 10 and him at 12 so I know his voice and I know what he wants to do.”
Donald and Nonu are the only changes to the starting line-up from the Sydney Test as the All Blacks attempt to overhaul South Africa in the last two matches of their Tri-Nations campaign.
They will be aiming to score four tries for a bonus point win to boost their slim title chances.
The forwards are unchanged, with Kieran Read cleared to start at number eight despite struggling for fitness recently with a knee injury.
Flanker Adam Thomson returns to the reserves bench and Isaia Toeava has been named as a backline reserve.
ALL BLACKS: Mils Muliaina, Joe Rokocoko, Ma’a Nonu, Stephen Donald, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (capt), Jerome Kaino, Isaac Ross, Brad Thorn, Owen Franks, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock. Reserves: Aled de Malmanche, John Afoa, Adam Thomson, Rodney So’oialo, Brendon Leonard, Isaia Toeava, Cory Jane.
Joseph
Guest
I hope Nonu wears some long sprigs for a change - he slips up more than Paul Henry!!
Ray
Guest
Brilliant....
ohtani's jacket
Guest
Nowhere. I think they'll try to win and then pull something off against the Wallabies if possible. A bonus point in either game and a superior points diff would win the TNs provided SA don't get a bonus point in their loss.
Stash
Guest
Nothing wrong with Nonu - ask any competing team. Lack of options here for Henry with injuries to the backline - he would have Isea at centre if he could run for 80. And he wants to Mills at the back. Better to put Donald out one (as opposed to Carter)- he gets an extra step and Carter manages the harder role. Boks can't target Donald at the risk of leaving Carter alone. Henry had to go for the guys up to speed with the calls rather than new blood - it would be a rejigged backline regardless.
BAS
Guest
It will be an AB win. Not so sure about the 4 tries but a win none the less and back to No 1 - where we belong.
Terry Kidd
Guest
Oh I think Nonu will have a real go, I just think he is being thrown to the wolves a bit. Speaking of tries OJ ... where do you see the minimum 4 for the bonus point coming from?
ohtani's jacket
Guest
Well, Nonu takes a lot of flack, but he's one of the only All Blacks who actually score these days and he's worked hard on his defence. He's just never going to be a good distributor and he's too slow to play on the wing, but you can use Nonu to make metres provided he doesn't get isolated.
Terry Kidd
Guest
Yeah, even Percy could do it ... and still have time to run a comb thru his hair.
Hammer
Guest
Well if they play Frans Styne at FB - then Nonu will have time to correct his line, have a smoke and wait as the tugboat comes a puffing past ...
Who Needs Melon
Guest
How is continually switching your flyhalf and second five during a match going to "disorient the springboks defensive line"? Comments like this remind me of the cowardly knights plan to deal with the killer bunny in Monty Pythons Holy Grail: "Let us taunt it! It may become so cross that it will make a mistake".
Terry Kidd
Guest
Their set piece scrum move where they put the winger thru the 12-13 channel is similar ... they just need to run it a little wider .... using the winger as the decoy .... answers both your posts in one go OJ .... or maybe not, lol, whatever
ohtani's jacket
Guest
Totally agree. Lack of rotation has hurt the All Blacks badly.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
Sounds good, but when have the Boks shown they can do that? Have you seen the Boks attempt a cut out pass? Their long passing is pretty weak and really no one runs from depth or at the right angle. The All Blacks are the same. Their passing is either too flat or behind the player. The Boks will try to attack the midfield channels but probably from set piece ball or directly through ruck ball. Speaking of backline tactics this year, what happened to decoy runners?
Terry Kidd
Guest
I suspect the Boks are already looking at the 12-13 channel and planning to run some plays thru there .... I'll make a prediction ... look for the fullback chiming in late running the line outside Nonu as he is drawn inside by his opposite running an inside line ... a cut out pass will hit the fullback on the chest and Nonu won't be able to turn and chase.
CraigB
Roar Guru
I would be worried if I was you. It is not the actual defending work. That is a given, it is the change of role and communication that does not come so easily and where the Aussies were shown up in Perth.
Hammer
Guest
Well this is a result a being pillored for a rotation policy which wa the right thing to do - no experience when injuries come along - the backline's a patchwork job for the remaining tri-nations games .. if they lose or if the boks secure the point they need then Wgtn should be the game to start the introduction of some new faces, as well as, the Tokyo jolly ... but it won't be because the great unwashed and the media won't let him get away with it ... I'd expect some of those names in the team for the NH ... Cruden definitely - and he may get the call up next week a la Slade and Brett - to get a feel for the group ... it's a shame the Welsh games seems to have got the go ahead - it would have been better if they'd organised another midweek game instead where these guys can get run - the only real opportunity on tour the will be Babas game ...
ohtani's jacket
Guest
I agree with your last sentence, but taking a bunch of South Island players on tour isn't the answer either. I'd like to see him reward ANZC form with some call-ups, but Henry has a lack of faith in Super 14 and ANZC form. He drops guys after one Test and tells them to go back to the club rugby that he mistrusts. He never really picks on form anyway. He either picks guys who've played Test match rugby before or players who match what he's after in a lock or a prop, etc. Sometimes it works (Franks), but mostly it's a litany of failed options. If you're a provincial player in NZ, you really have to hang around like Read did.
Mike T
Guest
I have an idea lets play two players in key positions in the backline they have rarely played before. One player no issue but two in key defensive spots please give me a break. Toeava are you guys having a laugh how many times. I wonder why the people in the Sth Island think the AB's selections give the SI boys a hard time? Lets look at the Form players so far Franks, Thorn, Ross, Read, McCaw, Cowan, Carter, Smith (i know he's from Wellington) of the rest Sivi, Mils and Hoare have been passable but lets look at the strugglers Woodcock? Kaino? Nonu? Rokocoko (I do think he is fantastic when in form) Soialo? Toeava???????????how many times! Time to start introducing our next World cup group and get some form boys in the Mix Crockett, McIntosh and Newland say goodbye Afoa (seriously), Messam ( this guy is something special Henry what is your problem) We need to get our loosies right for the end of season tour as we have no real depth! Latimer, Whitelock, Poff. Leonard/Ellis needs some runs on the board and stop playing injured, Piri we need this fella to come back right and please wellington stop playing him at ten, AARON CRUDEN, ROBBIE ROBINSON HAVE TO GO ON THE TOUR! mid field backs Crotty and Bateman....Ben Smith an Gear as Wingers.......I know won't happen Henry will take the entire Auckland team with a few Wellington guys and a kid no ones ever heard and won't again after the tour!
Stash
Guest
With Donald outside of Carter - it gives him more time to react while Carter is always the calm guy in the eye of the storm. Its a weird backline - buit it actually makes sense. Donald and Carter bring a lot of unpredictability to the running lines - they are both good runners and good defenders and Nonu adds the mongrol. Certainly the Wallabies were exposed when they rejigged the backline - but concerned about Dan Carter and Nonu defending, I don't think so. I see they have also kept So'oialo on the bench. Injuries aside, I think this is a pretty good team. With the IRB ranking perched at: SA 90.40 and NZ 90.36 does this mean that a win at home will make the All Blacks the number one ranked team in the world? Classic. (I bet a whole bunch of Bok fans don't realise that).
fox
Guest
That's a big risk playing Nonu at 13. Particularly as the Boks exposed Australia's hodge-podge midfield duo so well in Perth.