All Blacks: Rejigged loosies key in second test against France

Tanerau Latimer (L) will make his first starting appearance for the All Blacks on Saturday. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The All Black management believe Kieran Read was the best of their loose forwards a week ago. Nonetheless, he's been shifted from blindside flanker to No 8 as the selectors search for some second-test answers to the questions raised by the first-test defeat to France.

Read's move allows a fit Jerome Kaino to return to the blindside, while Tanerau Latimer makes his first test start at openside with Liam Messam the selection casualty. Isaia Toeava felt the same selectorial blade in the backline with a healthy Conrad Smith picked at centre.

Keven Mealamu starts at hooker because of Andrew Hore's rib cartilage injury while Aled de Malmanche is the new backup and George Whitelock provides the looseforward cover from the bench. The selection carousel in the looseforwards continues with the panel's search for backup to both injured skipper Richie McCaw and No 8 Rodney So'oialo. The process became more complicated when Adam Thomson broke his hand last week at Carisbrook.

Thomson did not look effective shoehorned into the opensider's role, despite the selectors' belief that he had the best set of skills under the law changes to fill in for McCaw. Thomson suffered because of the ineffectiveness of his tight forwards, but when Latimer replaced him, the fresh man looked far more assured with his lines, body position and nose for the ball.

The biggest selection struggle, though, is at No 8.

So'oialo has had to adapt to that role, but with McCaw and Kaino last year, he played a key part in a very effective trio.

Without the two senior looseforwards, there is a frailty about the next tier, with the selectors also struggling to come up with a solution.

"[There are] a couple of players [who] we didn't think played as well last week as we had hoped," coach Graham Henry said.

He identified Neemia Tialata and Messam as those individuals, although he obviously meant Toeava when the changes were revealed. Tialata did not appear to scrum or play well, but has been retained ahead of John Afoa at tighthead prop.

Henry defended Read's positional switch by claiming he had "played quite a bit there" for the Crusaders, he had been the best of the loose trio in Dunedin and had moved to accommodate Kaino.

The coach may have been overstating Read's contribution, but the selectors see him as a player for the future. They like his leadership and ability and are keen to retain him in the mix.

Read did play all last year's domestic campaign at No 8 for Canterbury and filled the role briefly for the Crusaders in the Super 14 this year.

Halfback Brendon Leonard was still a week away from availability, Ali Williams was making good progress with his heel injury and McCaw was recovering well from his knee injury.

In Dunedin, the selectors squeezed three blindsiders into the looseforwards with modest results. Their rethink suggests more balance this Saturday.

"We did not think Messam played as well as he normally could play, so it is a bit of a form thing and that's what selection is all about," said Henry.

Forwards coach Steve Hansen thought Kaino and Read would assist Latimer in his first test start.

Kaino worked best from blindside, said Hansen, where he could carry the ball and his defensive work was strong so that meant a shift for Read and a possible signpost for his future.

There had been an edge at training already this week, Hansen said. The pack had to ramp up their aggression at the tackled ball zone, they had to counter the rolling mauls, defend and scrum far better than they had at Carisbrook.

"I think it is all about getting guys a bit more accustomed to this level of rugby. I think after being together, and having a test match they have gone through, that they are starting to feel a bit more comfortable in the environment and that was noticeable today. It will just take some of them some time," Henry said.

One who had the experience was Smith, who was fit again after his hamstring problems. His return would bring experience to the backs, Henry said. He had played a great deal of top-level rugby, had built up a strong midfield liaison with Ma'a Nonu and was a good leader with strong Super 14 form behind him.