All Blacks to meet Wallabies at full strength - Rugby News
The All Blacks are set to face the Wallabies in their next clash of the Tri-Nations Cup 2011, on August 6 in Wellington. The New Zealand side has rested four key players from their first test of the event against South Africa and still managed to hammer
the Boks by 40-7 on July 30. The highly anticipated match will be a real test for the two best sides of the world to assess their preparations for Rugby World Cup 2011. Both sides have won their opening games of the Tri-Nations Cup against the meagre Springboks
with large margins.
The All Blacks officials made four big changes in their side to face the injury crippled South Africans from their last match against Fiji, played on July 22. They rested Kieran Read, Brad Thorn and two others. Furthermore, the All Blacks assigned bench
roles to their versatile player Sonny Bill Williams, as Ma’a Nonu was handed over the 12 number jersey for the particular match.
Their coach, Graham Henry, told the media on August 1 that they will go against the Wallabies with the best available players. Henry further told reporters that John Afoa is feared to miss the game after a minor injury. Keven Mealamu, Brad Thorn and Kieran
Mealamu are expected to join the party against Australia on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the All Blacks have been endorsed as the best side of the continuing trilateral competition by South African head coach, Peter de Villiers. De Villiers applauded the All Blacks for their tremendous effort against his own side and said that, “The
All Blacks are more ready now [than the Springboks] for the World Cup and they deserve the tag of favourites to win it.”
He also lamented on the poor performance of the Springboks in the opening two tests and said that, “Pretty much the Tri Nations has gone for us. We'll move our focus to preparing for the World Cup. Obviously, I'm very disappointed.”
The International Rugby Board’s Number 1 ranked All Blacks and Number 2 Wallabies will lock their horns on August 6 in Wellington.
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