NZ at full-strength for France
New Zealand are a formidable outfit
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Tuesday, 02, Oct 2007 04:58
The New Zealand All Blacks have announced a full-strength line-up for this Saturday's Rugby World Cup quarter-final against hosts France.
An awe-inspiring XV includes world-class backs Dan Carter, Joe Rokocoko and Mils Muliaina; and highly-rated forwards Jerry Collins, Carl Hayman and captain Richie McCaw.
Lock Keith Robinson starts ahead of Chris Jack in the only remotely surprising selection.
The tournament favourites will face the French in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium after the hosts finished second in their group behind surprise package Argentina – who took the pool winners' berth at the Stade de France on Sunday.
Despite being handed arguably the toughest test in the second stage of the competition, France head coach Bernard Laporte believes the All Blacks are beatable because they are yet to face a competitive fixture.
"They have missed hard games [in the pool stage] so I don't know," he said, when asked if he believed his side could win.
"The All Blacks are very good and we respect them," he continued. "We will have to be very good in every sector of our game.
"Even in the scrum they are very good now. We will have to rise to that level of rugby if we want to win.
"It is not only [Dan] Carter who is very good, there are a lot of quality players around him. They are a very collective team now."
Full New Zealand XV to face France:
1 Tony Woodcock
2 Anton Oliver
3 Carl Hayman
4 Keith Robinson
5 Ali Williams
6 Jerry Collins
7 Richie McCaw (captain)
8 Rodney So'oialo
9 Byron Kelleher
10 Dan Carter
11 Sitiveni Sivivatu
12 Luke McAlister
13 Mils Muliaina
14 Joe Rokocoko
15 Leon MacDonald
Replacements:
16 Keven Mealamu
17 Neemia Tialata
18 Chris Jack
19 Chris Masoe
20 Brendon Leonard
21 Nick Evans
22 Isaia Toeava