KEY POINTS:
Mike Tindall is a bonafide rugby survivor in more ways than one.
For a start, England's midfield rock is the only member of Saturday's starting side to face the All Blacks at Eden Park to experience the joy of winning the World Cup in 2003.
The 29-year-old Gloucester
centre is also the only current tourist to savour victory against New Zealand, also five years ago in Wellington.
It is something of a minor miracle that Tindall is in a position to potentially add a second All Blacks scalp this weekend considering he spent four days in intensive care after the Six Nations opener against Wales in February.
Tindall broke two ribs when he fell on a Welsh opponent's boot, though the real problems emerged an hour later when a medical examination revealed he had punctured a lung, severed his liver and suffered massive internal bleeding.
"A lovely game that," he quipped of Wales' 29-16 win at Twickenham - a perfect start to Warren Gatland's tenure.
"I went to dive on a ball and someone's fly hacked it through and I've landed right on his heel. The ribs punctured my lung and the studs somehow managed to put a hole in my liver."
Remarkably Tindall, who was cursed to miss England's defence of the World Cup after breaking a leg, returned to action just six weeks later.
"You come back for more, what else am I going to do?" said Tindall, who made his comeback against Doug Howlett's Munster in the quarterfinals of the Heineken Cup.
Tindall kept a close eye on another Irish side here last weekend, though admitted not much could be gleaned from New Zealand's 21-11 test victory in abysmal conditions in Wellington.
"It was hard to take anything out of it with the weather but you saw the pressure they (New Zealand) put on at the breakdown, you saw the physicality and the contact," he said.
The contributions of Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith were also duly noted. Smith made a telling break for Sitiveni Sivivatu's opening try while Nonu burst clear for the clincher.
"Conrad Smith is a good player...as a centre he does everything well.
"It's an interesting combo with him and Nonu and me and Barks have got to try and get on top of them and win that battle," said Tindall, easily England's most seasoned back with 54 caps.
The remainder of the backline boast 58 between them, pivot Charlie Hodgson (30) and Barkley (21) providing the majority.
Tindall can therefore be expected to keep on eye on a rookie back three sure to be targeted by Daniel Carter's kicking game.
Nigerian-raised Topsy Ojo makes his debut while fellow-wing David Strettle has five caps and fullback Mike Brown just two.
- NZPA
