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In naming his team to face Los Pumas New Zealand Head Coach Steve Hanson is taking absolutely nothing for granted as the strongest All Blacks team in a very long time will run-out at Wembley Stadium this Sunday. The reigning world champions will meet Rugby Championship rivals, Argentina at the home of English soccer in a Pool C match.
Captain Richie McCaw is a three time World Rugby Player of the year winner and the star openside flanker will be in good company with other previous winners – Dan Carter, Brodie Retallick and Kieran Read all starting. Opposing these extremely noteworthy players will largely be newcomers to Los Pumas in recent seasons with only McCaw’s opposite, Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe having prior World Cup experience.
It is this wealth of experience which has many people talking as the branding of England’s 2003 winning side as being grandparents has resurfaced by Hanson’s veteran lineup. Of the 15 starting players Jerome Kaino, Dan Carter, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu and Tony Woodcock all join their captain in being aged over 30.
Veterans can also be found among the replacements with Keven Mealamu, Wyatt Crockett, and Sonny Bill Williams all in their 30s. It is a fundamental change to that of Rugby World Cup 2011 when it was Argentina with the veterans. Indeed of the All Blacks starting players only three players – Brodie Retallick, Aaron Smith and Julian Savea debuted after Rugby World Cup 2011.
Gone from Argentina’s veteran 2011 side are not only Roncero and Ledesma but also some of the biggest names including Patricio Albacete and Felipe Contepomi while others such as Julio Farías Cabello, Manuel Carizza, Santiago Fernández, Martín Rodríguez Gurruchaga and Nicolás Vergallo are no longer involved.
Sunday’s match will be the second of Pool C following that between Georgia and Tonga in Exeter on Saturday. A win for Argentina would be a first but with Hourcade’s young, firing team having beaten Australia, France and South Africa over the past year the team is clearly capable of winning in London this weekend.
New Zealand
15 Ben Smith, 14 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (Captain), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Tony Woodcock
16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Sam Cane, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Beauden Barrett, 23 Sonny Bill Williams
