All Blacks: Franks, Guildford back to face England

Zac Guildford will start on the right wing against England on Sunday. Photo / Getty Images

LONDON - Two of the big movers in All Blacks rugby in 2009, Owen Franks and Zac Guildford, have been handed dream test starts at Twickenham amid an otherwise full-strength side to face England on Sunday (NZT).

Franks, 21, was named at tighthead prop for his eighth test as he and the returning Tony Woodcock, cleared of a back problem, were tasked with shoring up an All Blacks scrum which creaked at times against Italy last weekend.

And 20-year-old Guildford's impressive debut against Wales in Cardiff saw him rewarded with a spot on the unfamiliar right wing to accommodate Sitiveni Sivivatu on the left.

The young duo usurped Neemia Tialata and Cory Jane respectively, the only players to start all three tests on tour, as they were rested ahead of likely recalls for the big test against France in Marseille next week.

It meant 13 changes to the second-string 15 who beat Italy 20-6 in Milan, with Sivivatu and lock Tom Donnelly the only survivors.

Donnelly headed Anthony Boric and Jason Eaton to partner Brad Thorn, while Adam Thomson was preferred to Jerome Kaino in the tight battle for the No 6 jersey.

The only injury concern was on the reserves bench, where Corey Flynn was bracketed with late callup Aled de Malmanche due to a hamstring twinge suffered at training on Tuesday.

De Malmanche, with two brief test cameos against Italy and the Wallabies this year, was scheduled to join the side tonight (NZT) after being summoned from a holiday in Bali.

Also on the bench, Boric was picked ahead of Eaton, halfback Andy Ellis edged Brendon Leonard and Stephen Donald was preferred to Mike Delany.

Franks made his debut off the bench against Italy in Christchurch and started three Tri-Nations tests against the Springboks in Durban and Hamilton, and the Wallabies in Sydney.

His only game time on this tour to date was the final 20 minutes in Cardiff.

The young Cantabrian will be under the microscope more than usual after the scrum's problems in Milan, although International Rugby Board (IRB) referees' boss Paddy O'Brien today said Italy's tactics were "purely illegal" and should have been penalised by referee Stuart Dickinson.

"There's a lot of publicity about the front row but we've just gone about our work as usual," assistant coach Wayne Smith said.

"We think we've got the best scrum coach in the world (Mike Cron) and we've got players of huge character.

"We're just working on getting better at it. We're pretty confident in our front row."

While the All Blacks were nearing their best lineup to face France on November 29 (NZT) in what will be the toughest match on the end-of-year tour, Franks and Guildford's selections continued the policy of the tour.

Said Smith: "Part of the objective is to create competition for spots and use it as selection for the future. And we want to play rugby we're proud of, and we're still trying to get there.

"Australia in Tokyo was okay, we stepped up a bit more in Wales and we were a bit unlucky the score didn't reflect our performance that day."

He said the match against Italy was disappointing because it was not as complete a performance as the coaches had hoped for.

He felt the likes of Franks, Guildford, and others who got their chance in Milan, needed "more time in the middle" but were closing the gap on the frontliners with the 2011 World Cup looming.

Star pivot Dan Carter returns from a one-match ban for a dangerous tackle in a much-awaited duel with Jonny Wilkinson, who he comfortably outpointed in the series against the 2005 British and Irish Lions.

Carter sits just one point shy of Andrew Mehrtens' All Blacks test pointscoring record of 967.

All Blacks
Mils Muliaina, Zac Guildford, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Adam Thomson, Tom Donnelly, Brad Thorn, Owen Franks, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock.

Reserves: Corey Flynn/Aled de Malmanche, John Afoa, Anthony Boric, Jerome Kaino, Andy Ellis, Stephen Donald, Tamati Ellison.

- NZPA