Richie McCaw is set to become the first player to captain an international team in 100 Tests after New Zealand coach Steve Hansen reverted to virtually his first-choice selection to face Wales in Cardiff tomorrow.
McCaw, who first captained the side against Wales in Cardiff on Nov. 20, 2004, played blindside flanker last week against Scotland, but has switched back to his normal role in the No. 7 jersey for his 137th Test.
Beauden Barrett has won the hotly contested battle for the starting flyhalf position, with Hansen opting not to give world leading points scorer Daniel Carter another run after his rusty performance that week against Scotland.
Photo: AFP
Aaron Cruden, who had started the majority of the Tests this year in Carter’s absence, also failed to make the squad, as Hansen said that he wanted to give Barrett an opportunity to start a Test on their four-game tour.
“We’re using this tour to find out more about the guys we’ve got,” Hansen told New Zealand media in Cardiff. “We’ve seen Crudes on this tour in one of the big games against England and we wanted to see Beauden against one as well.”
The 32-year-old Carter has barely played this year after a six-month break from the game and an injury-enforced absence from a broken leg.
He looked rusty last week against Scotland in his first start for the team in a year and Hansen said it was a major reason why he was not considered.
“If he had come through the other day probably a little bit better, he might have been on the bench,” Hansen said. “But it’s impossible to ask a guy who has played the amount of rugby he’s had to not be rusty. It was a big ask.”
“For him it’s great that he’s got confidence that his body is right, we’ve got confidence his body is right,” Hansen added. “He just needs to go home now and play some Super Rugby and lots of it.”
Meanwhile, Fijian-born winger Henry Speight is set to make his Test debut for Australia in one of four team changes made yesterday for tomorrow’s Test against Ireland in Dublin.
The 26-year-old has been knocking on the door for Test selection after some exciting attacking displays for the ACT Brumbies in this year’s Super 15 season.
“Henry has done all the right things to earn his selection, has had an outstanding Super Rugby season and deserves his opportunity to play for Australia,” Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said.
In other changes made by Cheika following last week’s 29-26 loss to France in Paris, lock Sam Carter, back-rower Luke Jones and centre Matt Toomua come into the starting XV.
Jones, of the Melbourne Rebels, gets his first run-on opportunity for the Wallabies in his second Test match following his debut against France in Melbourne in June.
He displaces McMahon at blindside flanker, while Sam Carter replaces James Horwill and Toomua takes over from his ACT Brumbies teammate Christian Leali’ifano.
An extended bench has been selected, with late tour addition Kurtley Beale among them, with the final line-up to be confirmed and announced closer to the match.
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