All Blacks? What All Blacks?
ByWith his team sitting in second place on the table Blues’ coach David Nucifora has elected to name only one returning All Black in his 22 man team to play the Waratahs on Friday night.
Only Keven Mealamu returns from the All Blacks’ reconditioning squad directly into the Blues, all of the others get another week off. And with the Blues in such superb form, why risk the top Blues players against the woeful Waratahs?
But Mealamu is not starting the game, he has only been named on the bench, and only because of injury. Coach Nucifora has revealed that he never intended to play his All Blacks in this match, preferring to hold them back for the Chiefs next week.
The other Blues’ All Blacks are Ali Williams, Tony Woodcock and Joe Rokocoko. Williams and Woodcock will slot back into the tight forwards seamlessly, but Rokocoko could have a fight on his hands with wingers Doug Howlett and Rudi Wulf in magnificent form, both are tied for the lead in Super 14 tries so far this season.
The Blues team is: George Pisi, Doug Howlett, Isaia Toeava, Luke McAlister, Rudi Wulf, Isa Nacewa, Steve Devine, Jerome Kaino, Daniel Braid, Angus Macdonald, Troy Flavell (captain), Greg Rawlinson, John Afoa, Derren Witcombe, Chris Heard.
Reserves: Mealamu, Nick White, Anthony Boric, Justin Collins, David Gibson, David Holwell, Ben Atiga.
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The All Blacks? What All Blacks? by Hamish McBrearty, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
