Team Naming Thursday - All Blacks to face Puma's

Photo courtesy of Zimbio.com

This morning the All Blacks named their team to face the Pumas this weekend in Hamilton and as expected a few changes were outlined from the team that beat the Wallabies a fortnight ago in Wellington.

With Dan Carter recovering from his calf injury he returns to the starting lineup after "Major" Tom Taylor kept his jersey warm in the Wellington test match against the Wallabies.

The Pumas will bring a very different approach to the All Blacks than the Wallabies and our boys have been preparing during the week for a physical onslaught from the Argentinean's on Saturday night.

Francis Saili is being given the No 12 jersey on debut, with Ma'a Nonu being rested this week with a continuing ankle injury. This was hardly a surprise with many media outlets predicting his debut after the week's training sessions. It will be a good opportunity for him to have his first test match for the All Blacks and with DC slotting back into No 10 he can focus on doing his role and hopefully busting a few tackles.

I was HOPEFUL that the coaching staff may have brought TJ Perenara into the wider 23 to give him game time off the bench but that looks likely to happen perhaps as the Rugby Championship continues. If the ABS have a respectable scoreline it could well see Aaron Smith given a shortened game to keep him ready for the Springboks next weekend and TKB given the 9 jersey to finish out the match.

The continued calf injury to Liam Messam sees Steven Luatua retain the number 6 jersey and lets face it after his first 2 test matches, it presents another mouth watering combination in the loose forwards alongside Richie and Reado.

Charle Faumuina comes into the starting lineup with Wyatt Crockett getting his first look at game time this competition on the bench.  

All Blacks

1. Tony Woodcock

2. Andrew Hore

3. Charlie Faumuina

4. Brodie Retallick

5. Sam Whitelock

6. Steven Luatua

7. Richie McCaw

8. Kieran Read

9. Aaron Smith

10. Dan Carter

11. Julian Savea

12. Francis Saili 

13. Conrad Smith

14. Ben Smith

15. Israel Dagg

Reserves

16. Dane Coles

17. Wyatt Crockett

18. Ben Franks

19. Jeremy Thrush

20. Sam Cane

21. Tawera Kerr-Barlow

22. Beauden Barrett

23. Charles Piutau

What do you think of the lineup?

Only a 2 more sleeps and another All Black test match is upon us.

All black everything.