Franks pulls out, but it’s no big deal
– Such is the All Blacks’ confidence going into tomorrow’s Rugby Championship rematch against Australia that they have shrugged off the loss of veteran prop Owen Franks by calmly slotting in a raw replacement, Nepo Laulala.
Against a backdrop of honouring Colin Meads, the New Zealand great who died last Sunday, the All Blacks are threatening to be even more dominant than they were during last week’s 54-34 drubbing of the Wallabies in Sydney.
New Zealand coach Steve Hansen has tried hard to talk up Australia as a “very dangerous beast” going into the second round Rugby Championship match in Dunedin.
But even after replacing the 95-Test veteran Franks – who pulled out yesterday because of a troublesome Achilles – with the four-Test Laulala, the All Blacks should again be far too strong.
For a while Hansen has talked up the wounded Wallabies, his real focus has been on demanding the world champion All Blacks atone for their sub-par end to the first Test.
After scoring eight tries in the first 55 minutes, a sloppiness crept into their game that allowed Australia to come back with four tries of their own.
Both sides will observe a moment’s silence before the match and afterwards All Blacks lock Sam Whitelock, who plays in the No 5 jersey Meads wore for 47 of his 55 Tests, will present his jersey to the Meads family. –
Dunedin