FRANCE v NEW ZEALAND:NEW ZEALAND have picked their strongest available side for Saturday's Test against France, with recalls for Neemia Tialata, Jerome Kaino and Cory Jane.
Tighthead prop Tialata replaces Owen Franks, blindside flanker Kaino takes over from Adam Thomson and wing Jane comes in for Zac Guildford in a side showing three changes from the team which defeated England 19-6 last weekend.
“The French will be a passionate, physical side who are undefeated at home in their November Tests, so it will be another huge test for the All Blacks,” said head coach Graham Henry after naming his team yesterday. “The team is looking forward to the challenge.”
France, who defeated world champions South Africa on November 13th and Samoa last Saturday, will field 11 members of the team who beat New Zealand in Dunedin this year plus centres Yannick Jauzion and David Marty, lock Sebastien Chabal and number eight Julien Bonnaire.
The Marseille match will be a milestone for fullback Mils Muliaina, who will win his 82nd cap and become the second most-capped All Black of all time behind former captain Sean Fitzpatrick, who made 92 appearances.
Flanker and captain Richie McCaw will play his 80th international to become the third most-capped All Black.
“A game against France is always very important and very difficult. France are one of the great rugby nations,” he said.
“It will be an interesting physical challenge, particularly after they defeated South Africa because they dominated the Springboks, counting on their physical power as they did against us. But we are prepared to face such a challenge,” he added.
Meanwhile, French players are full of respect for Dan Carter not only for his supreme talent on the pitch but for the example his showed off it after his Perpignan adventure was cut short by injury.
Nobody in Perpignan has forgotten that even though he played only five games before a snapped Achilles’ ended his French sabbatical last January, he stayed true to the club until the end of his contract.
Carter, who was at the Stade de France when Perpignan won their first title in 54 years in June and celebrated it like a true Catalan, told rugby weekly Midi Olympique: “It was impossible for me to go back home just like that.
“Even on crutches, I tried to help the club. I analysed our opponents’ game on videos. I gave advice to our goalkickers. It wasn’t much, but it was a way to thank them for the way they made me feel at home.”
Carter also impressed his Perpignan team-mates by the way he recovered from an injury which could have ended his career.
“Frankly, I was amazed. To come back so quickly at his best level after such an injury shows that he is also a hard worker,” said centre David Marty ahead of Saturday’s game.
So much for the man, it’s Carter the player that the French respect above all. When asked if he had given his French team-mates any tips on Carter’s flaws, Marty said: “I can’t see any. He is flawless. He is a complete player, a match-winner.”
NEW ZEALAND: M Muliaina; C Jane, C Smith, M Nonu, S Sivivatu; D Carter, J Cowan; T Woodcock, A Hore, N Tialata; B Thorn, T Donnelly, J Kaino, R McCaw (captain), K Read. Replacements: C Flynn, O Franks, A Boric, T Latimer, A Ellis, S Donald, L McAlister.
