Changes aimed at freshening jaded All Blacks

France before family for All Blacks

LAWRENCE SMITH/Stuff.co.nz

EARLY: Graham Henry coud have extra time to prepare his All Blacks side this year.

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Graham Henry is searching for the freshness factor among his jaded All Blacks as he looks to cajole one last big test match out of them for 2009.

After today naming a starting XV featuring three changes from that which ran out at Twickenham, and making a couple of surprise decisions on his bench, Henry confirmed a lot of it was about countering the effects of tiring legs and wandering minds.

Their test on Sunday morning (NZ time) at Stade Velodrome against an in-form French side is their fifth in as many weeks on this tour, and Henry admits that scenario concerns him for a test he accepts will define this All Black season.

"There's no silver bullet for that situation," Henry said of the toll taken by a long tour. "Playing five tests in five weeks and travelling around the world doing it – it's a major.

"I think the boys are feeling the effects of that right now. Hopefully they've freshened up today (their day off), it's the last big test of the year and they'll be able to give it 100. But it's not ideal, as you can appreciate."

He is hoping that by reintroducing Cory Jane, Jerome Kaino and Neemia Tialata to the starting XV, after Jane and Tialata had the England test off and Kaino was a sub, will go some way to achieving that.

Plus he's made some surprise calls on his bench, running with Bay of Plenty openside Tanerau Latimer as his loose forward cover and going for both Stephen Donald and Luke McAlister as the only outside backs. Anthony Boric and Andy Ellis also retain their spots on the pine.

Of the three changes from the 19-6 victory over England at Twickenham, only one could be considered remotely contentious.

Adam Thomson has made way on the blindside flank for Kaino, and that's possibly a harsh judgment on the Otago No 6 who has been a big part of the All Blacks turnaround since the Hamilton hiccup.

But Thomson had probably his flattest test - since Carisbrook's ill-fated season opener - at Twickenham last week and admitted afterwards he'd struggled to find form after just 12 minutes off the bench over the previous fortnight.

So Kaino gets his chance this week, with the coaches clearly deciding that the Aucklander's stronger defensive game and more physical approach will be required against what is sure to be a passionate French side.

Jane was always going to be restored on the right wing, despite the plaudits that have flowed Zac Guildford's way over his two test starts against Wales and England. Jane's experience and the fact that he hasn't put a foot wrong all year meant he had the inside running.

Likewise Tialata, who is back in the No 3 jersey this week, with the Wellington strongman preferred ahead of Owen Franks who drops to the bench. The French will be coming hard at scrum time, and Tialata's 40 test caps, as opposed to Franks' eight, was probably the deciding factor.

Henry today said he'd thought long and hard about the No 6 call.

"It was always going to be a close call. I think it's about who we're playing and what the game plan is.''

Asked if Kaino's physicality had won him the nod, Henry replied: "To some extent."

Henry also praised Tialata's late-season revival which has seen him re-emerge as the side's first-choice tighthead.

"He's been responsible for that... He's got himself in great shape – the best shape he's been in since he's played international rugby. He's looked after himself and got himself right.

"We've probably showed him a bit of love too – and he likes that," added Henry.

Steve Hansen said the decision to go for Jane ahead of Guildford came down to picking the best man for the occasion.

"It was a very close call between all three of them," he said. "Siti, Cory and Zac have all been in great form in the test matches they've played in. It was close, but we've gone with the experience of the two older guys."

Henry also refused to buy into any argument with the French, choosing his words carefully when told there had been suggestions out of their camp that the All Blacks didn't "respect" them in Dunedin this year.

"Rubbish," said Henry. "There's no factual basis to that."

The game face was on the coaches. Let's hope it's on their players too come Saturday night.

NEW ZEALAND: Mils Muliaina, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan; Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (capt), Jerome Kaino, Tom Donnelly, Brad Thorn, Neemia Tialata, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock. Reserves: Corey Flynn, Owen Franks, Anthony Boric, Tanerau Latimer, Andy Ellis, Stephen Donald, Luke McAlister.

- © Fairfax NZ News