The All Blacks on Tuesday named one of their strongest combinations for their first Test of the year as second-string France arrived in New Zealand admitting they would rather be somewhere else.
Despite most of France’s top players staying home to complete club commitments, All Black coach Graham Henry chose most of his top players as the All Blacks start their countdown to September’s World Cup.
Joe Rokocoko will play on the right wing even though he appeared only once in the starting lineup for his Auckland Blues Super 14 team.
In-form Isaia Toeava was named at outside centre as Henry showed faith in his superb Super 14 form for the Blues rather than his shaky performances for the national team.
Utility loose forward Chris Masoe was named at number eight ahead of the ever reliable Rodney So’oialo.
”We want Chris to have some game time at number eight this season and build his experience at the Test level,” Henry said.
Reuben Thorne will start as blindside flanker in his first Test since breaking a thumb against South Africa last August.
Henry said he would mix up the selections in the two Tests against France and a following one-off match against Canada to make sure all his squad of 30 get game time before the Tri-Nations series against South Africa and Australia.
”We want everyone on track in the first three games to make sure selection is right for the Tri-Nations,” he said.
”We’ll be picking the best team each week in the Tri-Nations.”
For now he wants the world’s top-ranked team to play itself back to the dominant form of last year in seven Tests ahead of the World Cup in France.
”We’re trying to make sure our foundations are right from where we left off last year,” Henry said.
”We’re starting from scratch and rebuilding the team.”
Five players from the squad weren’t considered for selection as they recover from minor injuries. Conrad Smith, Mils Muliaina and Byron Kelleher are recovering from minor hamstring strains, while Jerry Collins and Anton Oliver are recovering from foot problems.
Meanwhile the French team arrived in New Zealand with little time to prepare for Saturday’s Test in Auckland.
”We did not want to come, but we must come,” coach Bernard Laporte said, adding that 95% of his World Cup squad had not made the trip. – Sapa-AFP