All Blacks backs Conrad Smith, Isaia Toeava, Luke McAlister, Aaron Mauger, Nick Evans and captain Richie McCaw in action, during the All Blacks team training session held in Edinburgh. Photo / Brett Phibbs
All Blacks backs Conrad Smith, Isaia Toeava, Luke McAlister, Aaron Mauger, Nick Evans and captain Richie McCaw in action, during the All Blacks team training session held in Edinburgh. Photo / Brett Phibbs
LONDON - New Zealand return to familiar conditions with yet another experimental combination for Sunday's World Cup Pool C match against Scotland at Murrayfield (4 p.m. British time).
After the searing heat of southern France, where they played their first two group matches, Edinburgh in early autumn willseem like home for the All Blacks.
"I think it will be good for our guys in a rugby sense and the lower temperatures might give them a bit more energy which might be a bit frightening," coach Graham Henry told reporters.
"They will play in conditions which they usually play in the winter in New Zealand, in Auckland at least. I think they will enjoy playing rugby in those conditions."
Henry has again rung the changes for New Zealand's penultimate group match and again kept potential opponents guessing about the composition of his strongest XV.
"There's a good camaraderie going and a good feel in the group and we want the players to believe that they've got an opportunity to be selected in the top XV," he said.
"We didn't want to make those decisions at this stage, we want to make them after Romania."
At this stage, though, the only positions seemingly in doubt before a probable quarter-final in Cardiff, are at centre and on the wing.
Conrad Smith played at outside centre against Portugal outside Aaron Mauger after nearly a year out of the test side through injury. He will start again against Scotland with Luke McAllister as his partner.
Doug Howlett, who will set a national record of 47 tries if he scores against Scotland, will start on the right wing again with Sitiveni Sivavatu on the left. Joe Rocokoco, who scored two tries against Portugal, is the third contender for one of the two spots.
As expected, Scotland coach Frank Hadden named an under-strength side on Friday with only wingers Chris Paterson and Simon Webster retained from the side who defeated Romania 42-0 on Tuesday.
Scotland have never beaten the All Blacks and Hadden is concentrating on the final group game against Italy on September 29 which is likely to decide which of the Six Nations' opponents qualify for the quarter-finals.
"Playing against a weak Scotland side will be a little disappointing. But it's still a good team. And there will be some guys who can step up to the challenge and take the opportunity offered," New Zealand fullback Leon MacDonald told reporters on Friday.
