Wallaby Lion-tamers to get a second roar at Carisbrook

Nathan Grey is expected to retain his second five-eighth job when the Wallaby selectors stick with their Lion-tamers for the Tri-Nations/Bledisloe Cup test against the All Blacks at Carisbrook on Saturday.

The Wallabies' midfield combination was under question after the stuttering, tryless loss to the Springboks in Pretoria nine days ago, but coach Eddie Jones will reward the group which outwitted the Lions last month.

Selectors will make two changes when the team is named tomorrow - recalling backline key Stephen Larkham from injury at the expense of Elton Flatley and swapping suspended lock David Giffin for his Brumbies team-mate Justin Harrison.

Selectors will be spared another forced change with loosehead prop Nick Stiles likely to recover from a thigh injury he suffered on Sunday. Stiles will join tighthead prop Rod Moore for their first tussle with an All Black scrum.

It is expected Grey will retain the jersey alongside centre Daniel Herbert in the hope Larkham can bring the best out of the robust pairing.

Former Wallaby first five-eighth Paul McLean had called for Grey to make way for fullback Matthew Burke, who appeared yet to regain full confidence.

But the selectors are expected to shy away from Burke because of his lack of game time at centre over recent years, preferring to leave him in the No 15 jersey with the usual role of goal-kicking.

Two All Blacks, Chris Jack and Tana Umaga, had the flu and spent the day in bed in Dunedin yesterday. Both are expected to be ready to train tomorrow. The other two non-starters yesterday were the Waikato pair Marty Holah and Mark Cooksley, who were fog-bound at Hamilton airport.

The two-hour practice was not strenuous but was used by the coaches to organise moves. Coach Wayne Smith acknowledged the All Blacks lost three takes from their own lineout throws against South Africa at Cape Town.

"But it wasn't as big a problem for us as it was for the Australians," he said. "It is a competitive phase and most teams contest it. It is never going to be perfect.

"We just have to make sure that our players retain their composure under pressure."

Smith emphasised that it is the All Blacks' aim to give winger Jonah Lomu space to exploit his talents.

"That is always our aim, but it is not so simple to do," he said. "Jonah has a lot of value as a decoy runner. He's like a magnet and we try to involve him a lot."

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