Rugby: All Blacks still have the experience that counts

The All Blacks pack has plenty of experience. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The talk before the All Blacks named their team for the deciding third test against the British and Irish Lions this weekend was about experience.

With Sonny Bill Williams ruled out of the Eden Park clash following his red card in Wellington, Malakai Fekitoa was named in the All Blacks squad and it was thought his 23-tests of experience outweighed the other option of handing Hurricanes second-five eighth Ngani Laumape his first test start.

But All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has gone with the rookie All Black in what is the biggest test on New Zealand soil since the 2011 Rugby World Cup final.

Laumape joins Anton Lienert-Brown in the midfield with a combined 13 tests between them.

Think back to the All Blacks World Cup final two years ago and there was Conrad Smith playing in his 94th test, partnered in the centres with Ma'a Nonu who ran out for the 103rd time.

Another rookie Jordie Barrett will start at fullback with just one test cap to his name. A strange position for the All Blacks with the fullback jersey often worn by veterans Ben Smith or Israel Dagg. However it happened recently when Damian McKenzie made his debut against Italy last year at fullback, a 68-10 win over Italy.

Despite having two backline players with a tally of two caps to their name in the starting XV, the All Blacks go into the test with just six fewer combined tests than the British and Irish Lions side.

The All Blacks starting XV have played in a total of 754 tests, 510 of those from the forward pack. Captain Kieran Read will become the seventh All Black to crack 100 tests on Saturday. Five of the previous six won their 100th test with Keven Mealamu having to settle for a draw with Australia.

The Lions, unchanged from last weekend's victory, will start with a total of 760 test caps.

Welshman Alun Wyn Jones leads the way with his 119th test coming on Saturday. The Lions pack is less experienced than the All Blacks with 416 combined caps - front rowers Jamie George (19 tests) and Tadhg Furlong (18 tests) along with lock Maro Itoje (14 tests) have all played less than 20.

The tourists have the experience edge but it's the kind of experience that matters.

Saturday's test is being compared to a World Cup final - a game seven of the All Blacks starting pack played in two years ago.

Codie Taylor is the only All Black forward who didn't play in the 2015 win over Australia while Sam Cane came off the bench.

Sam Whitelock, Kieran Read, Owen Franks and Jerome Kaino have played in two World Cup finals while Israel Dagg, Julian Savea, Aaron Smith and Beauden Barrett all have World Cup winners medals.