Photos: Training in CardiffKEY POINTS:
Reasons for Keith Robinson's retention on the World Cup campaign became clearer yesterday while Doug Howlett's absence was the cloudy image in a bold All Black selection for their weekend quarter-final against France.
Throughout their tenure, the All Black panel have been prepared to gamble and they showed that trait again with the choice of the brilliantly eccentric cousins Sitiveni Sivivatu and Joe Rokocoko ahead of the low-risk Howlett.
Mils Muliaina has claimed the troublesome centre selection ahead of the two first-choice campaign picks, Conrad Smith and Isaia Toeava, while all three backs with leg injuries have been restored to the starting XV.
Daniel Carter, Muliaina and Leon MacDonald have been given medical clearances and will begin the test though there is versatile cover from the bench which counted against Howlett's inclusion once he missed a start.
The decision to start Robinson is the most unexpected in a side with numerous discussion points.
Robinson's rise underlines the admiration the selectors have for the lock whose career has been so blighted by injury and operations that, if he plays this weekend - and that must always be a caveat with his selection - this quarter-final will be just his 12th test since his 2002 test debut.
This season has continued the medical mishaps with a series of calf tears and he only played the final pool game against Romania after straining a calf in a festival kickaround in Corsica.
That pool game in Toulouse was a watershed for the 30-year-old lock, now he is being asked to back up in a sudden-death test against the hosts in Cardiff.
He brings that vital bit of edge to top up the All Black pack. He is an old-fashioned forward whose elbows and knees are regular contact points, who favours the murky forward exchanges rather than the open acres, whose endurance and spirit is enormous and who is the lineout general.
But his repeated medical mishaps appeared to have counted him out after just 55 minutes against Romania.
But a fitness check up the next day was all the selectors needed to convince them Robinson was their man against the French.
Robinson and Ali Williams have just a shade more hostility about their play than the lineout and athletic class of Chris Jack.
The backline is a mix of solid acumen and all-out attack. That cue comes from the wings, who have been inconsistent in this campaign but can light up a match more than the ultra-reliable Howlett.
It is a risk because if France get a decent flow of possession they will bomb the All Black back trio and all three have not been as safe under the high ball as Howlett.
Smith got first crack at centre to see if he could rediscover his zip but that was not a success and Muliaina has been asked to do the job again after an injury-disrupted tournament.
With Sione Lauaki banned for two games, Chris Masoe won the reserve loose forward place while Nick Evans is on the bench but on form was most unlucky to miss a quarter-final start.
ALL BLACKS
Backs:
Leon MacDonald, Joe Rokocoko, Mils Muliaina, Luke McAlister, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Daniel Carter, Byron Kelleher
Forwards:
Rodney So'oialo, Richie McCaw (captain), Jerry Collins, Ali Williams, Keith Robinson, Carl Hayman, Anton Oliver, Tony Woodcock.
Reserves:
Keven Mealamu, Neemia Tialata, Chris Jack, Chris Masoe, Brendon Leonard, Nick Evans, Isaia Toeava.
