Donald to play centre for All Blacks

http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...201212086.html

The All Blacks have handed Stephen Donald the inside centre role in the team to play the Springboks in Hamilton on Saturday.

Ma'a Nonu comes in at outside centre in the only other change to the starting XV from the side that beat the Wallabies in Sydney.

Dan Carter stays at five-eighth.

The All Blacks have taken the risk of not including a specialist lock on their reserves bench despite the Springboks boasting enormous lineout talent.

Otago flanker Adam Thomson is brought into the forwards reserve mix while backs Isaia Toeava and Cory Jane are other changes on the bench.

This is a crucial test with the All Blacks needing to beat the Springboks, probably with four tries and without any bonus points for the visitors, if the South Africans are to be denied the Tri Nations title, a crown New Zealand have worn for the past four years.

The selectors have sensibly retained the core of the team that got the business done under similarly pressurised circumstances in Australia when the Bledisloe Cup was there for the taking and the All Blacks also had to win to stay in the Tri Nations race.

That was achieved as Richie McCaw's side eked out a 19-18 win in Sydney, only edging in front in the dying stages and then holding out a last-gasp rally from the Wallabies for a dramatic victory.

NEW ZEALAND: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Ma'a Nonu, 12 Stephen Donald, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Isaac Ross, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock. Reserves: 16 Aled de Malmanche, 17 John Afoa, 18 Adam Thomson, 19 Rodney So'oialo, 20 Brendon Leonard, 21 Isaia Toeava 22 Cory Jane.

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