Dan Carter retained by All Blacks for Australia clash
Thursday 13 August 2015 11:27, UK
Dan Carter has kept his place at fly-half for Saturday's All Blacks showdown with Australia despite evidence of a decline in form.
In one of the most important selections of his four-year tenure as head coach, Steve Hansen has made only three changes to the team that was beaten 27-19 by the Wallabies in Sydney last weekend.
Ma'a Nonu has recovered from a shoulder injury and returns at inside center for Sonny Bill Williams.
Lock Sam Whitelock moves from the bench to the starting line-up, displacing Luke Romano, and Victor Vito will start at blindside flanker in an effort to invigorate the All Blacks' loose play.
The selection is a minimal response to the many deficiencies evident in last weekend's defeat which was New Zealand's first to Australia in four years.
“We're going to find out who's got the steel and who hasn't," Hansen said.
At stake are the Bledisloe Cup which Australia last won in 2002, the All Blacks' 29-year unbeaten record against the Wallabies at Eden Park and a last chance for all players to push for a seat on the plane to the World Cup in England next month.
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"If people want to be on it then they've got to turn up on Saturday," Hansen said.
"Everything is with an eye down the road. In a year like the World Cup these are the only Test matches we get to ascertain where everyone's at so you've got to be brave, you've got to have a plan."
Quade Cooper is part of a new-look inside Wallabies backs trio with scrum-half Nic White and centre Matt Toomua, but Hansen said the rearrangement was to be expected.
"They're in the same boat as us. They've got to answer some questions for the World Cup too. They've got to select a side on August 31,” he said.
"We're forcing Australia to bring the best they've got. While eveyone's saying we're under pressure I think Australia now have put themselves in a place where people have got high expectations of them and with that comes pressure too so it's one of those great Test matches."
New Zealand: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Aaron Smith, 1 Tony Woodcock, 2 Dane Coles, 3 Owen Franks, 4 Brodie Retallick, 5 Sam Whitelock, 6 Victor Vito, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 8 Kieran Read.
Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Jerome Kaino, 20 Sam Cane, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Colin Slade, 23 Malakai Fekitoa
