All Blacks told to balance risk and reward

Benson Stanley is among six new players named for the match against Ireland, three of them starting on the bench. Photo / Getty Images

Decorated All Black captain Richie McCaw will encourage his team to express themselves, but is adamant they must learn to balance the risk and reward.

Finding that right tone will be one of the All Blacks' primary tasks as they head into Saturday's opening test of the season against Ireland in New Plymouth.

Coach Graham Henry and his selectors have picked three new players to debut and three more on the bench.

Israel Dagg starts at fullback, Benson Stanley in midfield and Ben Franks joins the test ranks from loosehead prop.

Back-up first five-eighths Aaron Cruden, loose forward Victor Vito and lock Sam Whitelock are on the reserves bench.

McCaw will captain the team in his 81st test and knew they had to alter their mentality from the Super 14 series. There was always a feeling that players could get redemption the following week if things went awry in that competition, he said.

"The speed of the game, the physicality of the game all goes up a level in tests," he said yesterday. "The different mindset is about a one-off test against Ireland and that's it. You get one go then you don't see the Irish again for six months.

"That adds a bit more on the game. You have to do it dead right, you can't afford to try too much in terms of what might happen.

"That brings the extra edge and intensity in tests." McCaw agreed the new players had to be allowed to play because that's how they earned their selection.

"That's what they are good at but if it is something that puts you under pressure you have to weigh that up," the captain said.

"You have to bear in mind that what you got away with in the Super 14, you might not get away with here and it could cost you and for the young fellas, that is what they have to learn pretty quickly." Henry felt the Crusaders influence would be important in the pack as they had the best scrum in the Super 14.

It had been a close selection between Dagg and Cory Jane for fullback, the coach said, but Jane was multi-skilled and would be an invaluable asset picking his moment to run from second-phase play.

Dagg had a great range of skills and it was time for him to start without asking too much of him on debut, Henry said.

McCaw will lead the All Blacks for the 44th time with a core of Crusaders colleagues in the pack.

Having Owen Franks and Brad Thorn on the tighthead side of the scrum would be an advantage and the rest of the pack had played a fair bit of test rugby together last season.

"It feels like we have had more time together than we have in the past and I don't know whether that is because most of the guys who played the last few tests together are back," McCaw said.

A few senior players have been involved in some planning before the squad got together last week and those few days had also helped.

"By Saturday, I think we will be ready to play the game whereas in the past it has arrived and you are not quite ready," he said.

He wanted to limit any discussions about referee Wayne Barnes and his controversial rulings in the All Blacks' last World Cup loss to France.

"We have got to move on from things like that and whatever happened in the past," said McCaw.

"To me it is not an issue at all."

All Blacks
Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Benson Stanley, Joe Rokocoko, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Jerome Kaino, Anthony Boric, Brad Thorn, Owen Franks, Keven Mealamu, Ben Franks.

Reserves: Aled de Malmanche, Neemia Tialata, Sam Whitelock, Victor Vito, Piri Weepu, Aaron Cruden, Zac Guildford.

Ireland
Robert Kearney, Tommy Bowe, Brian O'Driscoll (captain), Gordon D'Arcy, Andrew Trimble, Ronan O'Gara, Tomas O'Leary, Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace, John Muldoon, Mick O'Driscoll, Donncha O'Callaghan, John Hayes, Sean Cronin, Cian Healy.

Reserves: John Fogarty, Tony Buckley, Dan Tuohy, Shane Jennings, Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton, Geordan Murphy.