Hadden's Scots can put it up to new-look Kiwis
Saturday November 08 2008
A referee who New Zealanders do not trust, an All Blacks side few recognise and a Scotland team who must decide whether to stick the ball up their jumpers or feed one of their more attack-minded backlines will all be entered into the mix for today's clash at Murrayfield, writes Brendan Gallagher.
Wayne Barnes taking charge is only remotely an issue if New Zealand or their fans choose to make it so. Barnes is the most consistent of the new brigade, though he endured a pretty middling day at the office during the now infamous World Cup quarter-final in Cardiff last October when New Zealand lost to France.
He missed two forward passes -- the one which fashioned Yannick Jauzion's try and another in the first half en route to Luke McAllister's try. If New Zealand, and their camp followers, choose to remember only the former and ignore the latter they will have moved on not a jot.
But if they back up the diplomatic comments of their management by just letting Barnes get on with his job they will be doing the game, and themselves, a considerable service.
As for the new-look New Zealand, again that is another storm in a tea-cup.
Although squad rotation within the New Zealand ranks did not help in the season building up to the 2007 World Cup, it is easily justifiable when the new wave have to be viewed and on a whistle-stop tour taking in five Tests on consecutive weekends and a visit to Thomond Park. No offence has been given or taken.
New Zealand will be bristling and this particular team, give or take, will have been thinking and preparing for this game for a month or more. They will be let off the leash with many playing for long-term All Blacks places. Any result other than a Kiwis win would be a surprise, but not a total shock.
This is just about as strong a Scotland side as Frank Hadden can muster save for wing/full-back Rory Lamont, who has been on fire for Sale, but is sidelined with an untimely shoulder niggle.
The Scots have real grunt up front these days and if they crank it up in the forwards we should have a terrific spectacle; fall short and the young Kiwis will fly. (© The Daily Telegraph, London)
SCOTLAND -- C Paterson; T Evans, B Cairns, N De Luca, S Lamont; P Godman, M Blair (capt); A Jacobsen, R Ford, E Murray, N Hines, J Hamilton, J White, S Taylor, J Barclay. Subs: D Hall A Dickinson, M Mustchin, S Gray, S Lawson, D Parks, H Southwell .
NEW ZEALAND -- I Toeava; A Tuitavake, R Kahui, M Nonu, J Rokocoko; S Donald, P Weepu; J Mackintosh, K Mealamu (capt), J Afoa, A Boric, A Williams, K Read, A Thomson, L Messam. Subs: C Flynn, N Tialata, R Filipo, R McCaw, A Ellis, D Carter, C Jane.
REF -- W Barnes (England).
