All Blacks: Thorn ruled out of test

Brad Thorn: out after suffering a hamstring strain at training.

The midfield, the scrum and the locks loom as the biggest points of intrigue for the All Blacks this weekend after naming a predictable, possibly even conservative, side to face Ireland.

The coaches originally made five changes to the side that made short work of Scotland at Murrayfield last week but were forced to make an extra change overnight when lock Brad Thorn failed a fitness test.

Thorn, who was set to play his 50th test for the All Blacks, suffered a strain to his right hamstring at training on Tuesday and has been replaced by Anthony Boric with Sam Whitelock being upgraded to the bench.

Cory Jane has recovered from the chest injury he suffered against Australia and takes his place back on the right wing in place of Isaia Toeava, who misses the 22.

Jerome Kaino comes back for Liam Messam as the All Blacks restore their preferred loose trio, with Liam Messam dropping to the bench.

The rest of the changes appear aimed at doling out playing time to keep everybody happy.

Tom Donnelly gets a chance at lock replacing 22-year-old Whitelock who made impressive contributions in the first two legs of the Grand Slam.

Andy Ellis gets a rare start - just his ninth in four years - as Jimmy Cowan drops out of the 22, and Ma'a Nonu wins back a spot at second five-eighths alongside Hurricanes teammate Conrad Smith, as Sonny Bill Williams drops to the bench.

It is this change that has been the biggest talking point. Even the phlegmatic Smith admits he has never been in a situation in his six years as an All Black where the midfield has become the focus of so much talk.

"That's fair to say. It's good though," the 29-year-old said.

"It's been just as competitive [in the past] though, as far as I'm concerned."

"When I started there was Casey Laulala and Isaia was playing there and playing great so the talk may be more, but the competition [for places] has been there for a number of years."

Williams' emergence as a player capable of cracking the best-laid defensive lines has seen him appear as a genuine alternative to the Hurricanes pair who have established themselves as the world's best midfield combination since they first started in the centres together against Ireland at Wellington in June 2008.

It took 13 tests until they suffered defeat as a combination, when the All Blacks lost to South Africa in Bloemfontein during their difficult 2009 Tri-Nations campaign and the loss against Australia in Hong Kong en route to Britain was just their third in 25 tests together.

Perhaps surprising, then, to learn from Smith he felt his combination with Nonu had taken a while to gel.

"When you're both starting out, especially playing at All Black level, it's always going to take a while," Smith said. "This time I feel more mature about [how] I'm playing. Sonny is just starting out, but he's been around a while, playing a high level of rugby league."

While this is the third centre combination in three tests, the front row remains the same for the second week running, with Hika Elliot impressing enough against Scotland to retain the No 2 jersey ahead of 48-test veteran Andrew Hore.

The All Blacks will be hoping the appointment of South African referee Marius Jonker will help restore clarity to the engagement process.

The All Blacks have said they will meet IRB referees' boss Paddy O'Brien ahead of this weekend's test against Ireland, while having their usual pre-test meeting with the referee.

"Look at all the games at the moment, everyone is suffering the same problems," assistant coach Steve Hansen said.

"They're trying to rule the scrums and the people who are getting the benefit of doubt are the ones who are putting the ball in."

The problem appears to be the differing speeds of the four-step engagement process between continents. With Tri-Nations teams used to working at a different cadence from Six Nations sides, the initial hits have been sloppy.

Dublin, tomorrow 6.30am

ALL BLACKS
Mils Muliaina
Cory Jane
Conrad Smith
Ma'a Nonu
Hosea Gear
Daniel Carter
Andy Ellis
Kieran Read
Richie McCaw (c)
Jerome Kaino
Tom Donnelly
Anthony Boric
Owen Franks
Hikawera Elliot
Tony Woodcock

PROBABLE XV
Robert Kearney
Tommy Bowe
Brian O'Driscoll (c)
Gordon D'Arcy
Luke Fitzgerald
Jonathan Sexton
Eoin Reddan
Jamie Heaslip
David Wallace
Stephen Ferris
Mick O'Driscoll
D. O'Callaghan
Tom Court
Rory Best
Cian Healy

RESERVES:

All Blacks: Andrew Hore, John Afoa, Sam Whitelock, Liam Messam, Alby Mathewson, Stephen Donald, Sonny Bill Williams

Ireland: Sean Cronin, John Hayes, Devin Toner, Dennis Leany, Peter Stringer, Ronan O'Gara, Keith Earls