All Blacks team named for first Test vs France

All Blacks team named for first Test vs France

allblacks.com    06.Jun.2013

Strong side selected to play France; two new caps on bench

The All Blacks team to play France in the opening Test of the Steinlager Series has been named.

The team is as follows: (with Test caps in brackets. * denotes a new cap)

Starting XV:

1. Wyatt Crockett (11)
2. Dane Coles (4)
3. Owen Franks (45)
4. Luke Romano (11)
5. Brodie Retallick (13)
6. Liam Messam (20)
7. Sam Cane (4)
8. Kieran Read –captain (48)
9. Aaron Smith (13)
10. Aaron Cruden (20)
11. Julian Savea (9)
12. Ma’a Nonu (76)
13. Conrad Smith (66)
14. Ben Smith (12)
15. Israel Dagg (25)

Reserves:
16. Keven Mealamu (102)
17. Ben Franks (23)
18. Ben Afeaki *
19. Jeremy Thrush *
20. Victor Vito (20)
21. Tawera Kerr-Barlow (2)
22. Beauden Barrett (5)
23. Rene Ranger (3)


The All Blacks team features a strong core of experienced All Blacks plus a clutch of younger players, with a combined total of 377 Test caps in the starting XV. The team will be captained by All Blacks number eight Kieran Read. Another highlight of the Test team is the selection of two new caps, prop Ben Afeaki and lock Jeremy Thrush, who look set to make their Test debuts off the bench.

In the starting XV, hooker Dane Coles gets his first start in his fifth Test and will be alongside experienced props Wyatt Crockett and Owen Franks in the front row; Luke Romano and Brodie Retallick are the locks; with Sam Cane at openside flanker and blindside flanker Liam Messam alongside Read in the back row.

In the backs, the well–oiled provincial combination of Aaron Smith and Aaron Cruden start their fifth Test together while the All Blacks most capped midfield combination of Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith will again link up. The back three sees the experienced Israel Dagg at fullback joining with two Super Rugby stars Ben Smith and Julian Savea on the wings.

Meanwhile, joining Afeaki and Thrush on the eight-man reserves bench are experienced hooker Keven Mealamu, prop Ben Franks, loose forward Victor Vito while covering the backs are Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Beauden Barrett and Rene Ranger.

All Blacks Head Coach Steve Hansen said: “Though the week has been disrupted with injury and illness, we have still been able to have a good week’s preparation and there is no doubting that our two camps have been invaluable in assisting with this.

“To their credit, everyone has worked hard off the field and we couldn’t be happier. The young guys have provided that unbridled enthusiasm that comes with being a new All Black, while the more experienced guys have provided the calm focus that’s needed to allow a busy week to be dealt with in the right manner and to prepare well.”

Despite their last placing in this year’s Six Nations, Hansen said there was no way the All Blacks would be underestimating the French.

“We all know how the French can play. The only predictable thing about them is their unpredictability so we will have to be ready for whatever they throw at us.”

The teams meet for the first time since the nail–biting Rugby World Cup Final at the same venue.

“The team is excited again about meeting the French at what looks set to be a sold-out Eden Park and given it’s a Centenary celebration for Eden Park, I’m sure the fans will get into the occasion as well.”

The All Blacks have played France 51 times since 1906, with 38 wins to the All Blacks, 12 wins to France and the one draw. The teams last played in the nail–biting Rugby World Cup Final in 2011. The French last played in a three-match Test Series in New Zealand in 1968.

the All Blacs really arent understimating the french with that line up, personally its one of the more boring line ups ive seen in a while.

the selection of messam irks me the most of all selections, even more then the selection of thursh. messam needs to pull his finger out his ass, cos hes good performances have been sporadic at best in 2013, the same issues that saw him seelctions from the All blacks every year up to 2012. luatuas been 10 times the player he is easy.

surprised to see weepu not there and smith can be considered lucky to see him, but the youth of  having aaron smith and barlow on the bench is great for the All Blacks long term plans.

coles selection is really a default selection, but im glad that hore and by all rights kev too dont get a free AB pass, u need expereince though i guess and thats why kev is sitting on the bench.

not surprised to see savea starting, and if it wasnt for that assult on his missus, i wouldnt have a problem with his selection one bit, but seeing him there is still an embarrasment, even more so cos rangers on the bench.

i am stoked to see afeaki though, hes going to be huge for the All Blacks in the future and the less said about thrush the better.

if we deal to the frenchies, i really hope hansen has the backbone to bring in more changes, especially luatua.

GO ALL BLACKS!!!

not so clever mike...you are in for a real treat this weekend as Dagg and Savea will undoubtedly have starring roles as we whitewash the French in this series..

... And the beauty about having Aaron Smith and Kerr Barlow as scrum halves is that they both have regularly combined with Aaaron Cruden either at provincial level with Manawatu or Super XV level with the Chiefs so we can't really go wrong in the halves...

Many have pointed out Ranger would be a better pick at inside centreas Nonu lacks (the nous and ) situational awareness to assess the options available outside him quickly enough so Nonu can expect heavy scrutiny on his performance...

In fact not many can see Nonu 's career at 12 lasting much longer in the ABs if he does'nt fire .

With Mighty Chief Bundee Aki, Tom Taylor,  Renee Ranger or even Francis Saili set to replace him before the next WC IMO..Even DC can play inside centre so no great loss when Nonu goes..

As far as Messams concerned - a smart choice. Co captain of the Mighty Chiefs - well you can never have too many Chiefs in the squad as they are a champion team and like i said... one Chief is equivalent to10 french players.

 ... and after all it's only the French team dotted with some hapless yarpies that we have to contend with this weekend...

The frogs won't know what hit them..

So Carter is out and he is to be replaced by Cruden - I assume. I wonder who they will put on the benh to replace Carter - hope it is Tom Tayor.

The potential backline the All Blacks could have is being limited, Dagg and Nonu should be relegated to bench duty. 

not so clever mike...sasu has posted the teamlist above for yr viewing pleasure but Tom Taylor's name is not on it....

Therefore seeing Beauden Barrets name has been included on the list one can only conclude he replaces Carter..

Beauden Barret another quiet achiever like Messam plays no frills rugby but will get the job done...

not so clever mike...sasu has posted the teamlist above for yr viewing pleasure but Tom Taylor's name is not on it....

Therefore seeing Beauden Barrets name has been included on the list one can only conclude he replaces Carter..

Beauden Barret another quiet achiever like Messam plays no frills rugby but both solid players that will get the job done...

" That AB side is there for the taking, too many old farts and out of form players"

Every year some Saffa spins the same old yarn about the ABs being too old and out of form and most years they are humbled. Its suprising really, given the ABs unrivalled winning record over the past 120 years, that some folk still doubt the ABs uncanny ability to deliver results when it matters most. I dont know where the "too many old farts" line comes from since there are only 3 players with more than 50 tests in the team. The majority have played less than 20 games which would suggest a level of tempered exuberance that comes when youth and experience a successfully merged. Nah, this team is an intelligent mix of old and new. There are mentors for the younger guys to aspire too. This "core group"  provides the team with a sense of continuity and security.  

I asked  simple question - with Carter out of the test - who will replace him.  Since  Barrett is a defensive sieve i think that Hansen dare not start with - so I assume Cruden will replace Carter in the starting line-up.  Who will replace Cruden on the bench?

All repliers missed tha question completely.   Hope it is Taylor though.

The trouble with the frogs is nobody, including themselves, knows how well they will play.

As the frogs look at the world chumps side they should think these oaks are here for the taking!!!  They should remind themselves that Craig Joubert shafted them and they should have comfortably won the WC final.

In addition to the frogs being unpredictable the other key factor is who will the ref be? If its a kiwi forget it frogs you may as well go home now. You need to be about 50 points better to beat a bent kiwi ref!!

brycy I wouldnt pin your hopes on wee beau! 

another beauty for beeno1 aka stormingeds highlightreel,,,

"In addition to the frogs being unpredictable the other key factor is who will the ref be? If its a kiwi forget it frogs you may as well go home now."


BAWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
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OMG someone explain to brother beeno why his NZ ref comment is so mongish. beenos a crack up, but that right there sums up his complete lack of rugby nous, :oP
might possibly be the dumbest thing ive read here and thats saying a lot considering how many of his threads ive actually read, :o)

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahaha!

Hard to believe anyone could be that stupid and even harder to believe that someone who knows so little about rugby spends so much time on this forum talking about it!

A Kiwi ref reffing an All Black test match???

Aaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Too funny!

Of course a kiwi ref is not officiating!!!  It was a dig at how manipulative the kiwis are that they might even achieve this!!! Bwahahahhahahahahahahahahaha sorry if I am too subtle fo the kiwis and the kiwi wannabee rooitwit!

Next!

Go frogs!

Wehe! Baboon-ou pretending he wasn't pwned!

Pathetic and hilarious at the same time!

rooitwit its very clear I played you like the frot vis you are !! Bwahahahahahahahahaha  It seems my subtleties are beyond certain oaks!

Rooitwit on his way to watch a game of rugby!

Tell me Beano ... how does it feel to constantly make a fool of oneself?

Getting one foot into the mouth takes a special talent ... but both ... ??? ... at the same time ... that's really special, bro.

Hat's off to ya!!!

Sincerely man!!!

i had a friend from NZ who was down my neck of the woods for a wedding, so we took hinm out for a night in the town and as we were waiting for my sister and her gal pals to get ready, i hopped on my phone to see that brilliant beeon1 aka storminged comment and i just couldnt help myslef, i had to respond, lolz.
im so glad i didnt read anymore cos i wouldnt have been able to resist myself and been very anti soical after reading brother beenos embarassing i was joking defence, ROTFLMAO, :oD
i could have been kicking the beeno1 is a mong can from dusk till dawn, :oP

but maybe i should move on and just thank brother beeno for the laughs, im sure with his blogging average, there will be another just as funny/dumb comment to pick on, :o)