IRELAND v NEW ZEALAND:NEW ZEALAND coach Graham Henry has paid Ireland the ultimate compliment by announcing his strongest available team for Saturday's Test match at Croke Park. Having fielded a largely inexperienced side in a facile 32-6 over Scotland at Murrayfield, Henry has made 11 changes for a contest he expects to be extremely taxing.
Only four players, wing Joe Rokocoko, centre Ma'a Nonu, secondrow Ali Williams and hooker Keven Mealamu, started against the Scots. Dan Carter returns at outhalf rather than centre where he played in the Bledisloe Cup against Australia in Hong Kong while openside flanker Richie McCaw will captain the All Blacks for the 31st time, moving him into outright second place on the all-time list behind Seán Fitzpatrick (51).
Henry dismissed the suggestion he might have held back a number of regulars ahead of what the questioner intimated would be tougher games against England and Wales. "I don't believe that (those games will be tougher). We are just trying to take one game at a time and trying to pick the best team available for that game. We have done that, we haven't looked ahead." He did add a rider. "There has been some thought to Munster but no thought to England or Wales.
"I think it is going to be a hugely contested Test match. There is a lot of depth in Irish rugby. They're the European champions at club level and probably have two of the best club sides in Europe. They played very well on the Southern (Hemisphere) tour and could have won both games: probably unfortunate (not to). They are a quality rugby side. We are not looking forward to anything past Saturday.
"It is the best team we can put on the track for this particular game. There is a lot of experience, well over 600 caps and most of these guys played together in the Tri-Nations. There are a lot of combinations there that have won trophies, Bledisloe and Tri-Nations; that is a positive."
Secondrow Williams is the only member of the tour party to start against Australia and Scotland - Mealamu came on in the recent Wallaby game after five minutes for the injured Andrew Hore before captaining the team against Scotland - and may break Henry's three consecutive Test limit on the basis of not playing the full 80 minutes in the previous outings.
New Zealand backs' coach Wayne Smith confirmed there was never a chance Carter would continue in the centre. Stephen Donald wore the number 10 jersey against the Wallabies. Conrad Smith is preferred to Richard Kahui, despite the latter's man-of-the-match display at Murrayfield.
Rokocoko, who wins his 50th cap on Saturday, and Sitiveni Sivivatu have been named on the wings, for the first time in tandem since the World Cup quarter-final defeat to France. Smith pointed out that management had been pleased with Rokocoko's performance last weekend in what had been to date a largely disappointing season form-wise.
Mils Muliaina missed the two most recent Tests because of parental leave but is back in the team, having come through his first training session yesterday. Up front Neemia Tialata is preferred to John Afoa at tighthead although the latter's ball-carrying and athleticism will be introduced at some point. Tony Woodcock is back after a seven-day sabbatical to rest a chronic foot injury.
Brad Thorn returns to partner Williams and will play his first Test in the Northern Hemisphere seven years after turning down the opportunity to tour Argentina, Scotland and Ireland. The backrow boasts a familiar look while recent form is noted with the inclusion of Kieran Read among the replacements.
The New Zealand management was not averse to casting an eye over Saturday's opponents, albeit neatly side-stepping any pointed questions. An illustration can be gleaned from the inquiry: "Is this the best back line you are going to face in the next three weeks?' Smith smiled: "It's the best in the next five days. "They're (the Irish backs) good. We were pretty impressed when they came out to New Zealand and Australia earlier in the year. They are quite sophisticated in the way they move late, they change the picture late. They do a lot of decoy running. They have been very well coached, good thinkers in the back line."
Henry supplemented the overview later with some individual appraisals. "(Rob) Kearney's come on in recent times. Ronan O'Gara is playing better than I have seen him play for a while, particularly with the ball. The second five eighth Fitzgerald, I think he has some real skill. Brian O'Driscoll is a world-class player . . . Back-line wise you have a lot of guys putting their hand up and then you have the old experienced pack: they probably have more caps in the pack than we have in the team. Put that experience with some real class in the backs; it's a pretty good side."
NEW ZEALAND: M Muliaina; J Rokocoko, C Smith, M Nonu, S Sivivatu; D Carter, J Cowan; T Woodcock, K Mealamu, N Tialata; B Thorn, A Williams; J Kaino, R McCaw, R So'oialo. Replacements: C Flynn, J Afoa, A Boric, K Read, P Weepu, S Donald, I Toeava.
