Henry unleashes full fury on Irish

As statements go, this one is pretty emphatic - Ireland are going to be hit with a black sledgehammer on Sunday.

All Blacks coach Graham Henry has rolled out the best team he has for the Croke Park test, resisting the urge to rest some players for the matches to come against Wales and England.

The pack bristles with 347 caps and is missing only the injured Andrew Hore from its top eight.

The backs have 271 caps between them and though their might be quibbles over the form of the wings and absence of Richard Kahui, they are still an intoxicating mix of brute force, skill, pace and finesse.

Ali Williams will start at lock despite earlier hints he might have got a break on the bench, and the Tri-Nations midfield combination of Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith is united again.

Outside them is the potentially lethal trio of Mils Muliaina, Joe Rokocoko and Sitiveni Sivivatu - though each has a few points to prove.

Muliaina has played just a game and a half since the final Tri-Nations test against Australia two months ago and spent the last two weeks being a father, not a rugby player.

Last week's win against Scotland was Rokocoko's first test since the World Cup after an injury plagued year and he was below his best at Murrayfield.

As for Sivivatu, he scored a try against Australia in Hong Kong but has been largely out-of-sorts this year with only three tries in 10 tests - compared to the 21 he had scored in 21 tests before this year.

Though they have 145 tests between them and Sunday's will be Rokocoko's 50^th,  they have not started a test as wings and fullback since the All Blacks beat South Africa in Durban in June last year.

They were on the field together in the loss to France in Cardiff last year, but Muliaina was at centre that day.

Despite not having played together for so long, this is a back three who know each other well and could terrorise the Irish if they get a bit of ball and space on a firm track.

Henry has talked at length both before and during this tour of how great the challenge is.  Five tests in as many weeks, he has reiterated, is too much for anyone player to play.

It is why there were sensible thoughts that he might have rested a few this week, especially as Wales were impressive and a bit unlucky in their 20-15 loss to South Africa.

They conceded an early try and then provided an intercept try to gift wrap a victory that the Springboks didn't really deserve.

As for England, they might have been pathetic in New Zealand in June but with Martin Johnson now in charge they will at least play with back bone.

They also showed a few touches of flair and enterprise against the Pacific Islanders last weekend too.

But Henry clearly rates Ireland who were beaten by just 10 points in Wellington in June and dispatched Canada 55-0 in appalling conditions in Limerick last weekend.

Muliaina has played Ireland three times but felt this team, with its combination of the champion Munster pack and Leinster backs, was more expansive and threatening than previous sides.

He also suggested there was a significant difference in how the northern and southern hemisphere sides attacked the breakdown and warned the All Blacks would have to adjust.

"They are really physical up front and their tight five is just so physical at the break down.

"Perhaps we sometimes take it for granted that we are going to win the contact there.

"We have to have the ability to be physically dominant in that area because it's an instinct for them to be really physical.

"They do it week-in-week out over here whereas back home we probably chuck the ball around a bit more."

The Irish have made six changes from the starting team that thrashed Canada 55-nil last weekend.

Girvan Dempsey comes into the side at fullback. Rory Best and John Hayes return to the front row while the back row is boosted Alan Quinlan and David Wallace in the starting side.

Young halfback Tomas O'Leary makes his test debut while Brian O'Driscoll will be captain for the 50^th time.

New Zealand: Mils Muliaina, Joe Rokocoko, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Daniel Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Rodney So'oialo, Richie McCaw (captain), Jerome Kaino, Ali Williams, Brad Thorn, Neemia Tialata, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock.

Reserves: Corey Flynn, John Afoa, Anthony Boric, Kieran Read, Piri Weepu, Stephen Donald, Isaia Toeava.

 

- © Fairfax NZ News