Will Brock Takes Out the All Blacks (well, Classic All Blacks - with a little help)

PETALING JAYA: The sweltering heat and lack of practise time were among the main reasons that saw the Classic All Blacks go down 36-26 to the World XV in the Spirit of Rugby Challenge at the PJ Stadium on Saturday 16th June 2010.

Assistant coach to the classic Kiwi side, former All Blacks skipper Buck Shelford, stressed the match was more about promoting the sport to a new region.

“I think we did that successfully and in an entertaining way,” Shelford said to tvnz.co.nz.

“We went down by a couple of tries but in such sapping conditions, 28 degrees and near on 90 percent humidity, the result didn’t really matter.”

Among the players that performed the hakka before the match included legends Jonah Lomu, Andrew Mehrtens, Tony Brown, Pita Alatini and Troy Flavell. The World XV, meanwhile, were represented by the likes of William Rasilekia, Will Brock and Brent Russel.

The Classic All Blacks started the match on a strong note, having managed a 12-0 lead in the first 15 minutes but the World XV side got their act together to clinch a 14-12 lead in just before half time.

The New Zealanders, however, failed to impress in second half resulting the defeat at the end of the final whistle.

Will Brock (pictured back row, 7th from left) playing for the World XV including Brent Russell, Sam Cordingley, Dan Human, Jeremy Paul and coached by Clermont Coach Vern Cotter inflicted a rare defeat on the Classic All Blacks led by Troy Flavell and featuring Jonah Lomu, Andrew Merhtens, Pia Alitini and coached by Buck Shelford.

http://gotheforce.com/uploaded/1/1277295185.jpg

Classic All Blacks:
15. Ben Blair
14. Isa Nacewa
13. Pita Alatini
12. Tony Brown
11. Jonah Lomu
10. Andrew Mehrtens
9. Jamie Nutt-Brown
8. Filo Tia Tia
7. Chris Masoe
6. Reuben Thorne
5. Troy Flavell
4. Paul Tito
3. Joe MacDonnell
2. Deacon Manu
1. Greg Somerville

16. Slade McFarland
17. Campbell Johnston
18. Simon Maling
19. Craig Newby
20. Josh Blackie
21. Caleb Ralph
22. Keith Lowen

Coaches:
Peter Sloane
Andy Haden
Wayne Buck Shelford

World XV:
15. Thinnus Delport
14. Randall Kamea
13. Ben Ward
12. Epi Tiaone
11. Dan Fitzgerald
10. Brent Russell
9. Sam Cordingley
8. Scott Robertson
7. Will Brock
6. Jean Bouilhou
5. Loic Jacquet
4. Jamie Cudmore
3. Davit Zirakashvili
2. Jeremy Paul
1. Daan Human

16. Willem Weppener
17. Heath Tessmann
18. Semo Sititi
19. Hale T Pole
20. Seru Rabeni
21. William Fijian
22. Jim Fijian

Coaches:
Vern Cotter
Gareth Edwards

See http://www.spiritofrugbychallenge.com/ for more info on the event.