Injuries, kicking force rejig

By WYNNE GRAY

MELBOURNE - Conjecture about the best All Black backline formation went to another level yesterday with Leon MacDonald promoted to the dual roles of centre and goalkicker.

At the moment there is little debate about the preferred All Black pack but a cruel run of injuries and goalkicking dramas have created all sorts of questions about the best backline mix.

Lock Ali Williams has satisfied the selectors he has recovered enough from the stress fracture in his foot to play Tonga in the team's third-round World Cup test, against Tonga in Brisbane on Friday.

The remainder of the pack has been picked to include some - Corey Flynn, Daniel Braid and Rodney So'oialo - who have had scant test play this season and to give Kees Meeuws further experience as a back-up loosehead prop.

It is also a selection designed to protect from injury some of the valuable commodities like Chris Jack, Keven Mealamu, Richie McCaw and Jerry Collins.

The backline choice is more probing.

Without Tana Umaga, settling on a replacement centre has been difficult, a task made even more tricky with Aaron Mauger's continued absence because of bone bruising and a cartilage niggle in his knee.

Medical staff are optimistic that he will recover for the last pool game against Wales "but there are no guarantees", assistant coach Robbie Deans said.

This long layoff would not be a problem as he had already shown he could slot straight back into Tri-Nations tests after a substantial injury break.

Mauger's non-appearance means there is no respite for Carlos Spencer at first five-eighths, although it appears he will have restricted tournament goalkicking duties unless there are further injury calamities.

MacDonald gets that job this week and is moved to centre from his regular fullback position with the All Blacks. That berth stays with Mil Muliaina, the coaches saying they felt he was of more value to the team there than at centre, where he has revelled for Auckland.

They did not want to keep moving Muliaina through a variety of roles - he was best left at fullback or to cover wing.

Both Spencer and Daniel Carter can be described as natural goalkickers in that they usually strike the ball well, but can be undone by some technical flaws. MacDonald has a reputation for a more repetitive style, an action which might guarantee decent results.

Whatever the theory, the shuffles have forced Ma'a Nonu from the starting XV. He is an exciting attacking talent but can be exposed on defence, where MacDonald is far more accurate.

Nonu is one of only two back reserves with replacement Ben Atiga. The cover for halfback comes from Carter, who played much of his schoolboy rugby in that position.

That five-two forwards-backs reserve formation is a gamble but also an idea for matches against massive forward packs later in the tournament.

Neither coach John Mitchell nor Deans subscribed to an idea that some of the All Blacks' mixed play in the opening two games was a result of the persistent changes.

They insisted the entire squad of 30 had to be involved in the style template; every possibility had to be covered during this section of the tournament.

Leading halfback Justin Marshall becomes the most capped All Black back in his 67th test as the All Blacks meet Tonga for the third time in history and play their first international at Brisbane since 1996.