Wallabies loose duo reunited to haunt All Blacks

Richie McCaw passes the ball from the ground during training at Waitakere Stadium yesterday. Picture / Fotopress

The return of Wallabies twin loose forward strike force George Smith and Phil Waugh is a reason for worry lines ahead of Saturday's Tri-Nations test rugby decider here, All Blacks flanker Richie McCaw says.

Usual flanker Smith will play No 8 for the first time in his career at Eden Park, the most notable selection of the Australian team named yesterday aside from the switch of outside back Mat Rogers to first five-eighth.

McCaw said Smith's placement at the back of the scrum rather than the side wasn't particularly significant. Of more importance was his selection alongside fellow ball-scavenger Phil Waugh, a combination which had given the All Blacks grief in their last two losses to the Wallabies.

"It doesn't really matter where George plays, he's pretty effective," McCaw said of his arch rival.

"But the thing is they've got him and Waugh back together and they've been pretty effective in the past, those two operating against us together. It's going to mean we all have to be on mettle."

The first time the two speedy Wallabies 25-year-olds combined was a disaster, as the All Blacks romped to a record 50-21 win at Sydney in 2003.

However, they melded into a potent mix later that year, leading Australia's dominance of the breakdown in their World Cup semifinal defeat of New Zealand. And last year they were at the forefront of a 23-18 win at Sydney in which the All Blacks again struggled in the battle for possession.

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones started Waugh on the reserve bench for last month's Tri-Nations clash, won 30-13 by New Zealand. His injection this week sees Smith move back to replace the injured David Lyons.

All Blacks captain Tana Umaga suspected the wily Jones would employ a game plan based around some of the changes forced upon him by injury.

"He's probably done a lot of homework on us and he's probably found some weaknesses that we've found ourselves but also some that we didn't really think of," Umaga said.

"We've got to work on everything in our game and make sure our game's up to speed."

McCaw said the All Blacks would miss the presence of suspended flanker Jerry Collins but hoped his replacement, Sione Lauaki, would continue to give them a physicality in the loose.

"Jerry's been pretty effective ball in hand and teams we're playing against are worried about him because he's such a hard bugger," McCaw said.

"But Sione's a pretty lethal man too on attack and defence. I know he is up to speed and hopefully there's not too much lost."

All Blacks No 8 Rodney So'oialo has been criticised in some quarters for not being prominent enough in recent tests but McCaw said such observations were ill-informed.

So'oialo was among the hardest-working players in the squad who performed many of the tasks that didn't necessarily stand out, he added.

"Perhaps people looking from afar, all they judge it on are things like a missed tackle or a big run," McCaw said.

"We judge ourselves on the little jobs we do to give our backs nice ball. The flashy stuff, the x-factor stuff all happens when we get those things right. That's where Rodney gets judged, by those things."

So'oialo had played more minutes than any other All Black this year -- 555 minutes out of a possible 560 -- and consistently got through a welter of work at the breakdown, McCaw said, setting up a classic battle with opposite Smith on Saturday.

- NZPA