KEY POINTS:
The All Blacks confounded the Wallabies and widespread predictions yesterday when they overlooked hooker Keven Mealamu for the first Bledisloe Cup on Saturday.
Mealamu's run-and-gun game, which complements his all-round skills, has been identified as the best Tri-Nations choice against the Wallabies in recent tests while Anton Oliver has been saved for the Springbok confrontations.
In a direct challenge aimed at the growing Wallaby confidence about their scrum, Oliver has been retained in the middle of the most destructive All Black front row.
With bleak weather hitting Melbourne yesterday and high winds and rain forecast to continue past the weekend, the All Blacks have put a greater emphasis on their scrum for the McG international.
Oliver is viewed as a starting hooker without the impact Mealamu can bring from the bench. While the seasoned Oliver will help put the acid on a moderate rival scrum, he will be tested with his lineout delivery if the difficult conditions prevail.
"It is horses for courses depending on who we are playing," was coach Graham Henry's crisp comment.
"In every game of rugby, you want to get ascendancy up front and that is just part of the deal."
The All Blacks have made four changes and a positional switch to centre for Mils Muliaina in his 50th test with Isaia Toeava and Sitiveni Sivivatu unavailable because of injury. Toeava has a shoulder problem and is an uncertain starter for the Springbok test in Christchurch in a fortnight. Sivivatu will recover from his broken nose and ailments for that test and lock Keith Robinson will also be available after getting the all-clear this week on his calf-muscle tear.
New father Chris Jack is the only change in the All Black pack for Saturday while Luke McAlister is at second five-eighths in a close decision over Aaron Mauger.
Rico Gear has his chance to make a World Cup statement with Doug Howlett on paternity leave and Sivivatu injured while Leon MacDonald returns to fullback because of Muliaina's move.
Assistant coach Wayne Smith said the task for Gear this week was to lift his workrate. "Rico is a brilliant player who has outstanding evasion skills and is strong defensively and we are just looking for some workrate to complement that."
Henry thought his side's toughest match in the past 18 months was the test against the Wallabies at Brisbane and he expected a similar gruelling workout on Saturday.
"I have fond memories of that game. It epitomised what test rugby is all about," he said.
"It was a low-scoring game, hugely contested, good defence from either side, either side could have won and this is the same encounter this year that was last year in the build-up."
Captain Richie McCaw, the All Black star in the 13-9 Brisbane victory, was later clouted in a cheap shot by Phil Waugh and speared by Lote Tuqiri at Eden Park. The Springboks continued some of that rough-house work on McCaw last week but Henry sidestepped prejudging any treatment he would get on Saturday.
"We need to discuss the alternatives and we have to appeal to the officials to make sure they look after players off the ball," he said.
MCG, 10pm Saturday Julian Huxley
Australia
15. Julian Huxley
14. Ashley-Cooper
13. Stirling Mortlock (c)
12. Matt Giteau
11. Lote Tuqiri
10. Stephen Larkham
9. George Gregan
8. Wycliff Palu
7. George Smith
6. Rocky Elsom
5. Dan Vickerman
4. Nathan Sharpe
3. Guy Shepherdson
2. Stephen Moore
1. Matt Dunning
Reserves: Adam Freier, Al Baxter, Mark Chisholm, Stephen Hoiles, Phil Waugh, Scott Staniforth, Mark Gerrard.
All Blacks
15. Leon MacDonald
14. Rico Gear
13. Mils Muliaina
12. Luke McAlister
11. Joe Rokocoko
10. Daniel Carter
9. Byron Kelleher
8. Rodney So'oialo
7. Richie McCaw (c)
6. Jerry Collins
5. Troy Flavell
4. Chris Jack
3. Carl Hayman
2. Anton Oliver
1. Tony Woodcock
Reserves: Keven Mealamu, Neemia Tialata, Ross Filipo, Chris Masoe, Piri Weepu, Aaron Mauger, Nick Evans.
