Rugby:New Zealand have made 10 changes for the EMC Test with Scotland, but captain Richie McCaw and fly-half Dan Carter will start Sunday's clash at Murrayfield.
New Zealand play at Murrayfield eager to erase the memory of their 18-18 draw with Australia in their last Test outing on October 20th. The All Blacks were seeking a 17th successive win in Brisbane, but had to settle for a draw in a match which saw them fail to score a try for the first time since August 2004, a run of 105 fixtures.
All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen said: “The team is excited about kicking off our tour in Scotland in front of a packed house at Murrayfield.
“We have had a good build up this week and the key for us has been to get our preparation spot on so we can put in a performance on Sunday which we are proud of. However, we know that the Scots will lift for this Test match and we expect them to be very combative.”
Carter has been paired at half-back with Piri Weepu while Corey Jane continues on the right wing and Israel Dagg at fullback. Three players with fewer than 10 caps complete the back line; wing Julian Savea and centres Tamati Ellison and Ben Smith.
Loosehead Wyatt Crockett gets his eighth Test start in a front row which includes hooker Andrew Hore and prop Owen Franks. Luke Romano and Sam Whitelock are in the second row, while openside flanker McCaw is joined in the back row by Adam Thomson at blindside and Victor Vito, who makes his third Test start, at number eight.
Uncapped hooker Dane Coles and scrum-half Tawera Kerr-Barlow have been named on a replacements’ bench which also includes props Tony Woodcock and Ben Franks, lock Ali Williams, back-row Sam Cane, fly-half Beauden Barrett and centre Ma’a Nonu.
The All Blacks have played Scotland 28 times since 1905 and never been beaten; there were draws in 1964 and 1983. Scotland lost the most recent meeting, in November 2010, 49-3.
New Zealand:
I Dagg; C Jane, B Smith, T Ellison, J Savea, D Carter, P Weepu; W Crockett, A Hore, O Franks; L Romano, S Whitelock; A Thomson, R McCaw (captain), V Vito.
Replacements:
D Coles, T Woodcock, B Franks, A Williams, S Cane, T Kerr-Barlow, B Barrett, M Nonu.
