All Blacks team to face Oz named

 See easy to read version posted below by Sasuke San.

 Sorry, I didn't realize the AB team was already included on the other thread. Anyway, this should focus some discussion on the AB line up.  You know, they are old, etc. lol

@mr win,

have u tried to edit ur post so that it fits in nicely around the designated
borders??? that way we dont see the side ads lunar eclipse
impersonations, lolz, :oP

i thought i would post the abs.com article and just push it down a bit, :o)
 

All Blacks team named to play Wallabies

The All Blacks team has been named to play Australia in the first Bledisloe Cup and Investec Rugby Championship Test of the year at ANZ Stadium in Sydney on Saturday, with a whirlwind few days for midfielder Ryan Crotty topped with selection on the All Blacks reserves bench.

The team is (Test caps in brackets):
Starting XV:
1. Tony Woodcock (98), 2. Andrew Hore (76), 3. Owen Franks (47), 4. Luke Romano (14), 5. Samuel Whitelock (41), 6. Liam Messam (23), 7. Richie McCaw (capt.) (116), 8. Kieran Read (51), 9. Aaron Smith (15), 10. Aaron Cruden (22), 11. Julian Savea (11), 12. Ma'a Nonu (79), 13. Conrad Smith (69), 14. Ben Smith (15), 15. Israel Dagg (28)
Reserves:
16. Keven Mealamu (104), 17. Ben Franks (25), 18. Charlie Faumuina (7), 19. Brodie Retallick (14), 20. Sam Cane (7), 21. Tawera Kerr-Barlow (4), 22. Beauden Barrett (8), 23. Ryan Crotty *

The All Blacks coaches have selected a hugely experienced team, with 874 caps in the team which boasts an average age of 27. Richie McCaw returns to the All Blacks and will again captain the side in his 117th Test.

The experienced trio of Andrew Hore, Owen Franks and Tony Woodcock, in his 99th Test, make up the front row; the locks are Sam Whitelock and Luke Romano; with number eight Kieran Read and blindside flanker Liam Messam joining McCaw in the back row. Aaron Smith starts at halfback, with Aaron Cruden in the playmaker role; the All Blacks most capped midfield pairing of Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith are in their familiar 12 and 13 jerseys in their 80th and 70th Tests respectively; while the back three are the exciting trio of Ben Smith and Julian Savea on the wings, with Israel Dagg at fullback.

In the reserves, the key feature is the selection of new All Black Ryan Crotty. His ability to play at 12 and 13, and injuries to midfielder Francis Saili and first five-eighth Daniel Carter, have seen him fast-tracked onto the All Blacks bench following an impressive Investec Super Rugby season. Utility Beauden Barrett and halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow are the other back reserves, while the forwards reserves are hooker Keven Mealamu, props Ben Franks and Charlie Faumuina, lock Brodie Retallick and loose forward Sam Cane.

All Blacks Head Coach Steve Hansen said: "There's huge excitement in the group as the Bledisloe Cup is a very important trophy for the All Blacks.

"With the changing of the guard in the Australian coaching group, it adds a little bit of the unexpected to the challenge. Therefore, we need to ready for anything they chuck at us.

"Whilst the expectations will be as high as they always are for the All Blacks to perform and win, I have a feeling there will also be huge expectations on the Australians because of the changes, and it will be interesting to see how their players and their new coaching team cope with this.

Hansen said the All Blacks had prepared well this week: "The expectation is to go over there and play with real intensity, physicality and accuracy."

The new scrum engagement laws will be used for the first time in the Investec Rugby Championship and Hansen said he was excited by the potential of the new scrummaging engagement.

"They will take some time to bed in, which is to be expected, but we believe they will bring great benefits for the game in the long-term."
The All Blacks squad flies into Sydney this evening. Meanwhile, prop Joe Moody and outside back Charles Piutau will also travel to Sydney with the playing squad.

Meanwhile, the following All Blacks squad members have also been released this week to play ITM Cup rugby if required, with All Blacks management keen for the players - who have not played much rugby in recent weeks - to get some extra game time. Those players are hooker Dane Coles, lock Jeremy Thrush and halfback TJ Perenara (for Wellington), wing Frank Halai (Counties Manukau) and flanker Steven Luatua (Auckland).

Interesting facts
* All Blacks Richie McCaw, with 45 matches and Keven Mealamu (44) are closing in on the record of most matches played in the Tri Nations / Investec Rugby Championship, held by former Wallabies George Gregan (48) and Nathan Sharpe (47).
* The most Tests played by a player against a single nation is Gregan's 30 against South Africa. McCaw will equal that record this weekend with his 30th Test against Australia.
* The All Blacks have played Australia 146 times since 1903, with 99 wins to New Zealand, 41 to Australia and six draws. No team has ever been victorious in 100 Tests against a single opponent. England - with 73 wins over Ireland - is in second place.
* The All Blacks last played Australia in Brisbane last year, with 18-all the score that day.

very happy to see ryan crotty in the mix, though i would be surprised if he gets any game time, something tells me it would be along the lines of those he gest subbed on with 5mins to go, those are a bit of a pet peeve for me.

still its not about crotty and hansen has assembled a team that dosent have any surprises, but are more then capable of getting the job done.

if there was any postion i dont agree with it would be retallick and romano, IMO retallick should of started, theyre both in solid form but retallicks form especially on the physical front has been the best.
still we lose very little though and i love the retllick, whitelock romano locking combo, IMO three of the top 10 locks in the world easy peasy, if not top 5.

best thing about our team is we have 9 players who only made thier debut either last year or this year, its shows the remarkable depth we have and hansen and companies smart way of introducing them into the deep test waters, especially the wallabies in their backyard regarded by most as the All Blacks toughest macth of the year, myself included.

GO THE MIGHTY MIGHTY ALL BLACKS!!!

 Sasuke San: thanks for the pointer on editing. It does make it easier to read. This time I just deleted the article from my  post as you posted it so no point on editing it.

I picked Retallic to start so I will make a change to my Fantasy Rugby team. He may have got the start if he had not played in the final s15. Hansen may be resting him a bit. He will get game time IMO.

 No surprises, good team all in all! 

Has Colin Slade fallen off the radar? I rated him quite well.

 Shezza: Colin Slade is down the list as far as for AB selection.

He has recovered from some really bad unjuries as you may no. He will most likely move to the Crusaders next season as this article says. I rated him too but with the injuries and the apparent loss in confidence he has a long way to go to  get back to his form of old.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/8940861/First-five-Colin-Slade-to-return-to-Crusaders

@shezza,

slade was regarded very highly in NZ too, around 2010-2011, but then he suffered 2 broken jaws in 2011 which hampered his progress big time, he made it into the RWC squad and when carter was injured and ruled out of the comp, slade was annoited the incumbent flyhalf,,,,,,until he had another injury to his groin which ruled him out of the the RWC.
he returned in 2012 but broke his leg early on and has preformed well IMO since returning from then, but time and the All Blacks stops for no man, and slade has fallen down the pecking order big time.

slades prob one guy who understands exactly what goosen is going through more then anyone else.

 I knew about the broken jaws and that he was injured in 2012, but a broken leg! He's had it rough, but playing for the Crusaders will heighten his chances of All Black selection, haha! I loved that team try that Slade started and finished for the Highlanders this season, forgot who the opposition was though think it may of been the Sharks!

well does'nt that just show how fken useless the Wobbly team must be if they have to replace 10 players.

Funny as.

 as opposed to slim Ewen redsman?

 Good to see you back hahahahakwa! I hope you have noticed my sensitive use of works of art to make my point!

It looks as though the abs are on the skids. So go for it wobblies but them away! 

hey Beeno, you must be looking forward to the Test Match tommorrow