Marc Hinton, www.stuff.co.nz | November 5, 2009 - 11:13AM
All Blacks coach Graham Henry says he means "no disrespect" to Wales with his experimental lineup named today featuring six changes to the XV that started the last test in Tokyo.
There's a Test debut for Zac Guildford, a surprise promotion for Jason Eaton and a reprieve for Jerome Kaino among Henry's surprisingly new-look lineup to meet a buoyant Welsh outfit here at the Millennium Stadium.
There's also a chance for Brendon Leonard at halfback, a second test cap for Canterbury prop Wyatt Crockett and a return to No 8 for Kieran Read.
Also the injured Dan Carter, who sat out the All Blacks' first full training run in Neath, has been included subject to his calf haematoma healing in time. The classy five-eighth will be given as long as he needs to prove his fitness.
Henry and his fellow coaches have been consistent on this trip preaching a line that they aim to find out if certain players are good enough to remain on the test scene - and to that end they need to play them to discover the hard truth.
In that respect the coaches have been true to their word.
Two of the changes, of course, were forced by the suspensions of wing Sitiveni Sivivatu and prop Tony Woodcock, but four aren't, and considering that this is just second game in and the All Blacks are coming off an accomplished performance against Australia, that's an uncharacteristically high number.
"We've selected a strong side," said Henry. "The policy on this tour is to give everybody an opportunity. We need to know if all these players are up to international standard and they get opportunities to prove that.
"We're using this game for one or two of those question marks. We know we're in for a big game. It was a big game last year and it's the same this year.
"It is no disrespect to Wales... let's try to make that very clear. It's a very strong side.
"It's a selection going forward and it gives this group of players an opportunity to say 'I'm an international footballer of quality'. We can't judge them unless they play."
Starting up front, towering Canterbury loosehead prop Crockett will earn just his second test cap in the absence of Woodcock, where he'll get a crack at Welsh "bolter" Paul James at scrum time. "He's done a huge apprenticeship, he's played very well at the level below, and is a senior player in the Crusaders pack which is pretty dominant," said Henry.
Perhaps the surprise choice of the lot is in the second row where Tom Donnelly's impressive start in test rugby hits a speed bump, and he swaps places with hirsute Taranaki lock Jason Eaton who gets his first test start since August 19, 2006.
All four of Eaton's test appearances this year have been off the bench and the Welsh test will represent just a fifth start in 15 international appearances.
Donnelly could be considered unlucky after two impressive tests in which he played a major part in addressing the team's lineout problems, but Eaton very much comes into the category of "player on trial" as the coaches put the pressure on him to match the Otago lock's efforts.
"Jason's been on the fringe of international rugby for a long time," added Henry. "He needs an opportunity to prove to us he's a top quality international player."
There are two changes in the loose trio, and neither of them are massive surprises. Jerome Kaino replaces Otago's Adam Thomson on the blindside flank, with this selection also about giving a seasoned player his chance to impress, while Kieran Read is back at No 8 after veteran Rodney So'oialo got the nod in Tokyo.
The versatile Thomson has very much usurped Kaino as the first-choice No 6, but this represents Kaino's chance to shout out "don't forget me" among the cacophony at the Millennium.
Read is restored to the position he held for the second half of the Tri-Nations and the solid Cantab has a further chance to underline his status as the squad's top back-of-the-scrum man.
At halfback Brendon Leonard takes over from Jimmy Cowan in another of those selections aimed squarely at giving a down-on-form player a chance to remind the coaches of his class. No pressure, Brendon.
Perhaps the most predictable change of all is also the most exciting one out on the left wing, where gifted young Magpies flyer Zac Guildford earns what should be a memorable, and emotional, test debut at the tender age of 20.
He will go head to head against Welsh 20-year-old marvel Leigh Halfpenny, the player who said this week the time when players were in awe of the All Blacks "has gone".
Henry said Guildford was "pretty excited" by the opportunity to crown his dramatic rugby year with his first test cap.
"He's had his challenges during the year, he's met them well, he's used them as motivation and he's achieved a goals earlier than he'd expecyed I'd imagine," said Henry.
Otago's Ben Smith will also make his test debut if he's required off the bench.
NEW ZEALAND: Mils Muliaina, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Zac Guildford, Dan Carter, Brendon Leonard; Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Jerome Kaino, Jason Eaton, Brad Thorn, Neemia Tialata, Andrew Hore, Wyatt Crockett. Reserves: Corey Flynn, Owen Franks, Tom Donnelly, Adam Thomson, Jimmy Cowan, Stephen Donald, Ben Smith.
