1. Neemia Tialata
2. Keven Mealamu
3. Greg Somerville
4. Reuben Thorne
5. Keith Robinson
6. Jerry Collins (captain)
7. Chris Masoe
8. Sione Lauaki
9. Andy Ellis
10. Dan Carter
11. Sitiveni Sivivatu
12. Aaron Mauger
13. Isaia Toeava
14. Josevata Rokocoko
15. Nick Evans
Reserves:
Andrew Hore
Tony Woodcock
Chris Jack
Richie McCaw
Brendon Leonard
Luke McAlister
Conrad Smith
“One of our major goals is to go into the quarter finals with all 30 players ready for action,” said All Blacks coach Graham Henry.
“We want every player to have had game time and also to be fresh for the knock out rounds.
“It’s a balancing act and that’s been a big part of our thinking around selections for this match.”
“We expect the team we’ve picked to raise our standards again in this match. That’s been our goal in every pool game,” said Henry. “We picked up in some areas of weakness against Scotland, but maybe not in others so we have our own challenges this week.”
Henry noted that all 30 members of the squad were available for the match, however the selectors opted to rest Mils Muliaina (hamstring) and Leon MacDonald (bruised thigh). “We can afford to take a bit more time with their recovery,” said Henry, “and it gives us more options if Nick Evans has match time at fullback which is a positive.
