All Blacks bid to continue Welsh domination
New Zealand will bid to extend a winning streak of 20 games spread over 56 years when they take on Wales at the Millennium Stadium here on Saturday.
The All Blacks have become the monkey on the Welsh side's back since that last win in 1953, but there is a glimmer of hope as New Zealand introduce a raft of new faces as coach Graham Henry insists on blooding new talent rather than worrying about past records.
Henry, himself a former Wales coach, has made six changes to the team that beat Australia 32-19 in Tokyo last weekend, suspended duo Sitiveni Sivivatu and Tony Woodcock replaced by 20-year-old debutant wing Zac Guildford and prop Wyatt Crockett.
Brendon Leonard takes over from Jimmy Cowan at scrum-half while Kieran Read starts at No 8, flanker Jerome Kaino replaces Adam Thomson and Jason Eaton moves into the second-row for Tom Donnelly.
"We need to know if all these players are up to international standard," said Henry, whose side last year beat Wales 29-9 at the Millennium Stadium and whose tour this November also includes Tests against Italy, England and France.
"We've got a policy for the tour: to enjoy the game and play well is one, and also to make sure 33 players on this tour get an opportunity to play.
"There is no disrespect to Wales - it's a very strong side."
Star outside-half Dan Carter, needing just 16 more points to overhaul Andrew Mehrtens's New Zealand Test record of 967, was named in the team despite a calf injury which has prevented him from training. Stephen Donald will move off the bench of Carter is ruled out.
Wales, coached by New Zealander Warren Gatland, handed prop Paul James a second call-up six years after his debut while James Hook reverts to full-back to plug the gap created by the loss of Lee Byrne to injury, enabling Cardiff Blues duo Tom Shanklin and Jamie Roberts to fill the centre berths.
Gatland insisted that Hook, who has lost out to Dan Biggar for the outside-half shirt for his Ospreys club, would be nothing but a positive in the number 15 shirt.
"We have asked James (Hook) to play at full-back before and it is a boost for any side to be able to have someone of his calibre on the field in whatever position that may be," said Gatland, whose side will go on to play matches against Samoa, Argentina and Australia.
Gatland has recalled Gareth Cooper to fill in at scrum-half in the absence of both the injured Mike Phillips and Dwayne Peel, who has not been released by his English club, Sale, as Saturday's fixture is taking place outside the agreed international window.
Winger Shane Williams was adamant that a Wales team packed with players who experienced the British and Irish Lions' heart-breaking 2-1 series loss to South Africa in the summer could trump the All Blacks.
"Collectively, Wales can take a lot out of the Lions tour for this autumn series and the New Zealand game," he said.
"With so many Welsh boys in that Lions squad we can take a lot from the summer.
"We came back disappointed we did not win the Test series and felt we should have done so.
"We watched the Springboks dominate the Tri-Nations series. So we know New Zealand are not unbeatable."
New Zealand lost three times to South Africa in the Tri-Nations and it is something not lost on skipper Richie McCaw, who pinpointed centre Roberts as the Welsh danger man after his impressive performances against the Springboks.
"He's a big man, and someone we will keep an eye on," McCaw said. "He was a major part of why the Lions played as well as they did in South Africa.
"Wales have good players, and we realise we are in for a tough match on Saturday. We would be idiots if we thought it was going to be easy."
