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Henry under mounting pressure
24/07/2008 13:01 - (SA)
Sydney - Former Wallabies captain John Eales has questioned New Zealand's decision to reappoint coach Graham Henry after the All Blacks' failure at last year's World
Cup.
Eales said he was surprised New Zealand stuck with Henry
instead of opting for Robbie Deans, who took on the job of
coaching the Australians after missing out on the All Blacks'
position.
The two coaches will confront each other at the Olympic
stadium on Saturday in an intriguing twist to a Test match that
could play a decisive role in determining this year's
Tri-Nations title.
Media criticism of Henry mounted in New Zealand after his
team's 30-28 loss to South Africa in Dunedin two weeks ago and Eales said he was clearly under far more pressure than Deans,
who is still in the honeymoon period with the Wallabies.
"I think Graham Henry's a wonderful coach... but it (last year's World Cup failure) would have been playing on people's minds," Eales told a luncheon in Sydney on Thursday.
"I think it adds a bit more pressure on him than it does on Robbie."
Henry has been keeping a low-profile in the build-up to the
match, opting to keep his team in New Zealand until Thursday
rather than travel earlier to Australia to acclimatise.
'It's the mental side'
New Zealand have had mixed results in Australia when they
have stayed at home to train before but stand-in captain Rodney
So'oialo said it would not be a factor in this weekend's match.
"I don't think it matters too much. It's the mental side of it that matters," he said.
"Travelling later in the week is a good thing. It's not a big trip."
Despite the criticism, New Zealand will still go into the
match as slight favourites after winning six of their last
seven Tests against the Wallabies and holding the Bledisloe Cup
for the past five seasons.
The Australians believe they are slowly closing the gap on
their Trans-Tasman rivals.
They ended a sequence of five defeats with a 20-15 win in
Melbourne last year and have shown encouraging signs of
improvement this season as Deans ushers in a new generation of
players.
Both teams will go into the match without their regular
captains but it remains to be seen who will miss their leader
their most.
Captaincy
Wallabies skipper Stirling Mortlock was ruled out after
being concussed during last weekend's 16-9 win over South
Africa in Perth, while Richie McCaw's planned return from an
ankle injury was delayed until the All Blacks' next match.
Openside flanker George Smith will take over the Australian
captaincy while rugby league convert Ryan Cross replaces
Mortlock at outside centre.
Timanu Tahu, another former rugby league player, comes onto
the bench for the first time, while giant lock Dan Vickerman
was added to the reserves for Hugh McMeniman after returning
from injury.
Daniel Braid will start at openside flanker for McCaw, who
has been out of action since injuring himself against England
last month.
Braid's last Test appearance for the All Blacks was against Tonga at the 2003 World Cup. He is among five changes to the starting team that lost to the Springboks two weeks ago.
Lock Brad Thorn returns from suspension while prop Greg
Somerville, wing Anthony Tuitavake and outside centre Richard
Kahui were also recalled.
Teams:
Australia: 15-Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14-Peter Hynes, 13-Ryan Cross, 12-Berrick Barnes, 11-Lote Tuqiri, 10-Matt Giteau,
9-Luke Burgess, 8-Wycliff Palu, 7-George Smith (captain),
6-Rocky Elsom, 5-Nathan Sharpe, 4-James Horwill, 3-Al Baxter,
2-Stephen Moore, 1-Benn Robinson
Replacements: 16-Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17-Matt Dunning, 18-Dan Vickerman, 19-Phil Waugh, 20-Sam Cordingley, 21-Timana Tahu, 22-Drew Mitchell.
New Zealand: 15-Mils Muliaina, 14-Anthony Tuitavake,
13-Richard Kahui, 12-Ma'a Nonu, 11-Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10-Dan
Carter, 9-Andy Ellis, 8-Jerome Kaino, 7-Daniel Braid, 6-Rodney
So'oialo (captain), 5-Ali Williams, 4-Brad Thorn, 3-Greg
Somerville, 2-Andrew Hore, 1-Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16-Keven Mealamu, 17-John Afoa, 18-Anthony Boric, 19-Sione Lauaki, 20-Jimmy Cowan, 21-Stephen Donald, 22-Conrad Smith.
- Reuters
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Tri-Nations
