Stage set for rugby’s top entertainers

CARDIFF - The coaches have vowed to bring it on under the Millennium Stadium roof tomorrow, rating their respective sides as the most entertaining in world rugby.

The All Blacks, the Tri-Nations champions, open their bid for a second Grand Slam at their seventh attempt while trying to knock Wales, the Six Nations champions, off their perch at their home fortress.

Add in the 100-year anniversary of Wales' controversial 3-0 win here, and a stadium packed to the rafters with upwards of 70,000, and it could barely have been better scripted.

Even the gloomy late autumn weather shouldn't have a say.

It has rained all week in Cardiff, but the retractable roof has done its job, All Blacks coach Graham Henry giving the playing surface the thumbs-up yesterday.

Both sides are below full strength, the All Blacks by choice and the hosts, crucially, without five key Lions players through injury and flanker Martyn Williams because of his mother's death.

Henry, with an eye to the 2007 World Cup, has benched two of this year's star performers - flanker Richie McCaw and loosehead prop Tony Woodcock - meaning the forward tussle will have some extra spice with debutants Chris Masoe and Neemia Tialata.

The forward battle is crucial, but it is what happens out wide which may have the biggest say.

All Blacks backs coach Wayne Smith set the scene for a tryfest.

"We both like to use the ball and you'd expect with the talent out there, if things click, there should be tries scored," he said yesterday.

"They play the game the right way, they've got talent out wide, very quick on the wings and with Gareth Thomas at fullback they'll be looking to use the ball. They're a threat.

"Out of all the teams in the world they play similarly to us, no surprise given the coaching histories."

Henry and assistant Steve Hansen, as former Wales coaches, know all too well what it takes to win here and they nearly fell at the first hurdle a year ago when Joe Rokocoko's brilliance helped them home 26-25.

The Rokocoko factor is one of several in New Zealand's favour in a full-strength backline, including the key Hurricanes pairing of Tana Umaga and Conrad Smith in midfield against Ceri Sweeney and Mark Taylor, who cemented their combination on the recent American tour.

Rokocoko has six tries from three tests against Wales and is back to near his peak after missing the Lions series because of a drop in form.

But Smith rated Wales as the hardest team to analyse because of their similarities - skilled ball-playing forwards, lethal from turnover possession and intent on the new trend of scoring tries from less than three phases.

Wales skills coach Scott Johnson said his side couldn't win by just muscling up in the forwards and hoping their classy pivot Stephen Jones kicked the penalties.

"It will be fast and that's what people want. On form these are the sides people will probably want to watch in the world," Johnson said.

"For us to win this game, there's got to be a couple of tries in us. They're a potent side, but we think we're pretty potent too."

The problem with predicting a free-flowing match is it doesn't always turn out that way. The teams have had to assemble quickly and will have a degree of rustiness - the All Blacks' last test was two months ago and Wales have been virtually dormant since their Grand Slam in February/March. Wales' injury problems tip the scales in the All Blacks' favour.

All Blacks

* Cardiff, tomorrow 5am

Mils Muliaina
Rico Gear
Conrad Smith
Tana Umaga (c)
Joe Rokocoko
Daniel Carter
Byron Kelleher
Rodney So'oialo
Chris Masoe
Jerry Collins
James Ryan
Chris Jack
Carl Hayman
Anton Oliver
Neemia Tialata

Wales

Gareth Thomas (c)
Kevin Morgan
Mark Taylor
Ceri Sweeney
Shane Williams
Stephen Jones
Michael Phillips
Michael Owen
Colin Charvis
Jonathan Thomas
Robert Sidoli
Brent Cockbain
Adam Jones
Mefin Davies
Duncan Jones

Reserves:

All Blacks: Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock, Angus Macdonald, Richie McCaw, Jimmy Cowan, Ma'a Nonu, Leon MacDonald.

Wales: Rhys Thomas, Chris Horsman, Luke Charteris, Robin Sowden-Taylor, Gareth Cooper, Nicky Robinson, Lee Byrne.

- NZPA