News

Cowan and Hore to start

August 01 2008

All Blacks scrum-half Jimmy Cowan and hooker Andrew Hore will start for New Zealand in the crunch Bledisloe Cup Test against Australia at Eden Park.

New Zealand have finalised their line-up with number nine Cowan in for the injured Andy Ellis (ribs) and Hore recovering from a hip problem to start in the front row.

Cowan has himself recovered from a knee problem, and also picked up a broken nose in last Saturday's Test in Sydney.

Piri Weepu will sit on the bench as Cowan's back-up while Keven Mealamu is the reserve hooker.

Loose forward Adam Thomson has also been selected on the All Blacks bench in place of Daniel Braid, who started against the Wallabies last weekend in Sydney.

If Weepu, 24, does play, it will be his 21st Test and his first since the All Blacks beat South Africa in Christchurch just over a year ago.

He was not used for the rest of the Tri-Nations as Byron Kelleher and Brendon Leonard were picked ahead of him.

He was later sensationally left out of the World Cup squad - despite having been one of the 22 protected players - with Ellis joining Leonard and Kelleher in France.

Already under immense pressure after two losses in their last two Tests, the All Blacks lost first choice full-back Leon MacDonald to concussion earlier this week.

New Zealand (revised): 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Richard Kahui, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Rodney So'oialo, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Jerome Kaino, 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 Adam Thomson, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Anthony Tuitavake.