The Rugby Championship continues into week two, with reverse fixtures of those that took place in the opening weekend. First up this Saturday is the All Blacks hosting Australia at Eden Park, a stadium where the Wallabies last won in 1986.
All Blacks coach has kept pretty much the same team as the one that beat Australia last weekend, with Tony Woodcock the only change, due to injury, in the front row, with Wyatt Crockett taking his place.
The Australian team has seen a few changes, both injury enforced and due to choice of coach Robbie Deans. Davidd Pocock is one such change, being ruled out for the rest of the Rugby Championship and is replaced by Michael Hooper, while Ben Alexander replaces the injured Sekope Kepu. The backline sees a shuffle with Kurtley Beale dropped to the bench, Adam Ashley-Cooper shifting from the wing to take the last line of defence and Drew Mitchell making his long awaited return to international rugby. Quade Cooper is also back in the Gold jersey, forcing a shift to inside centre for Berrick Barnes.
A settled winning team versus a team scrambling with selections and desperate for a win should make this game a pretty one sided affair.
New Zealand: 1. Wyatt Crockett, 2. Keven Mealamu, 3. Owen Franks, 4. Luke Romano, 5. Samuel Whitelock, 6. Liam Messam, 7. Richie McCaw, 8. Kieran Read, 9. Aaron Smith, 10. Daniel Carter, 11. Hosea Gear, 12. Sonny Bill Williams, 13. Ma’a Nonu, 14. Cory Jane, 15. Israel Dagg.
Replacements: 16. Andrew Hore, 17. Ben Franks, 18. Brodie Retallick, 19. Victor Vito, 20. Piri Weepu, 21. Aaron Cruden, 22. Ben Smith.
Australia: 15. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14. Drew Mitchell, 13. Rob Horne, 12. Berrick Barnes, 11. Digby Ioane, 10. Quade Cooper, 9. Will Genia, 8. Scott Higginbotham, 7. Michael Hooper, 6. Dave Dennis, 5. Nathan Sharpe, 4. Sitaleki Timani, 3. Ben Alexander, 2. Stephen Moore, 1. Benn Robinson.
Reserves: 16. Saia Fainga’a ,17. James Slipper ,18. Radike Samo ,19. Liam Gill ,20. Nick Phipps ,21. Anthony Fainga’a ,22. Kurtley Beale
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Go Kiwis give it to the aussies.
But for SA we need the aus to pull one here
NZ to win by 6
Mallet just mentioned that the tackle attempt on Dagg by Beale was pathetic and he reckons that Ludick would have made the tackle.
FULL TIME
New Zealand 22 – 0 Australia
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