Richie McCaw might be hobbling on one leg, but it hasn’t stopped Graham Henry from naming him in the All-Black team to face Australia this weekend.
The New Zealand management have been a tad touchy about the constant scrutiny over McCaw’s dodgy left foot and are confident he will last for 80 minutes against the Wallabies.
Henry has made three changes to the side that stuttered to a win over Argentina in the quarter-finals, with Israel Dagg coming in at full back in place of shoulder victim Mils Muliaina, Richard Kahui starting instead of superstar Sonny Bill Williams on the wing and Aaron Cruden replacing the injured Colin Slade at out-half.
Kiwi native Robbie Deans is sweating on the fitness of Kurtley Beale ahead of the mouth-watering encounter in Auckland on Sunday night. Beale suffered a minor hamstring tear against South Africa last weekend and will have to prove his fitness in the captain’s run on Saturday to be in with a chance of making the starting XV.
Anthony Fainga’a is waiting on standby should Beale not recover in time, with Adam Ashley-Cooper set to revert to full-back if a reshuffle is required.
The Wallabies go into Sunday’s semi-final with nothing to lose, as there is a ridiculous amount of pressure on the All-Blacks shoulders to win their first World Cup since 1987. The historical portents for the Aussies are not so good, however.
Australia haven’t beaten the All-Blacks at Eden Park since 1986 and New Zealand haven’t lost to anybody at the venue since 1994 (Click here to see the magnificent try that led to that defeat). Still, records are there to be broken after all.
New Zealand take on Australia on Sunday at 9am Irish time.
New Zealand: Israel Dagg; Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Richard Kahui, Aaron Cruden, Piri Weepu; Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu, Owen Franks; Sam Whitelock, Brad Thorn; Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw (captain), Kieran Reed.
Replacements: Andrew Hore, Ben Franks, Ali Williams, Victor Vito, Andy Ellis, Stephen Donald, Sonny Bill Williams
Australia: K Beale or A Ashley-Cooper; J O’Connor, A Ashley-Cooper or A Fainga’a, P McCabe, D Ioane; Q Cooper, W Genia; S Kepu, S Moore, B Alexander, D Vickerman, J Horwill (captain), R Elsom, D Pocock, R Samo.
Replacements: T Polota Nau, J Slipper, R Simmons, B McCalman, L Burgess, B Barnes, A Fainga’a or R Horne.
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