After spending Sunday night in Johannesburg, the All Blacks arrived in Durban on Monday and the management sprung a surprise by naming their side to play South Africa in the Tri-Nations Test at the Absa Stadium on Saturday well ahead of time.
Coach Graham Henry, in announcing the team before an afternoon practice session at Glenwood High School, said there had been a number of difficult decisions made by himself and assistant coaches Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen, as well as fellow selector Sir Brian Lochore.
”We had a half a dozen places up for grabs and there was keen competition all down the line,” Henry said.
He said they believed they had made the right choices in a team that was notable for the fact that Mills Muliaina was preferred at fullback to Leon MacDonald, who is on the bench.
Likewise, Aaron Mauger got the nod at centre ahead of Luke McAlister, who may well come in off the bench sometime during the match against the Springboks.
Admittedly, the All Blacks have a relatively untried lock pairing in Greg Rawlinson and Troy Flavell, but management believes they will be good enough to counter the threat of the best lock pairing in world rugby, Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha.
Henry also said the choice of the team would have no influence on preparations for the World Cup in France. ”We are here,” he said, ”to concentrate our efforts on winning probably the toughest rugby competition in world rugby at the moment.”
He said the efforts of the South African teams in the Super 14 competition had emphasised the growing confidence in the Springbok camp, and it was always a satisfying feeling to be in South Africa to play the Springboks at home.
”The Tri-Nations is a major competition and it is worth winning. But it is quite odd that we have not won too often in South Africa. I believe the ratio is one in four.”
The team expects a tough game in Durban. — Sapa
Team: Mills Muliaina; Josevate Rokocoko, Isaia Toeava, Aaron Mauger, Sitiveni Sivivatu; Dan Carter, Byron Kelleher; Rodney So’oialo, Richard McCaw (captain), Jerry Collins; Greg Rawlinson, Troy Flavell; Carl Hayman, Anton Olivier, Tony Woodcock. Substitutes: Keven Mealamu, Neemia Tialata, Ross Filipo, Chris Masoe, Phil Weepu, Luke McAlister, Leon MacDonald.