ALL BLACKS v ENGLAND

Players	Reserves
Trevor Woodman	Mark Regan
Steve Thompson	Matt Stevens
Julian White	Steve Borthwick
Simon Shaw	Joe Worsley
Danny Grewcock	Andy Gomarsall
Chris Jones	Stuart Abbott
Richard Hill	Tom Voyce
Lawrence Dallaglio (c)	Key: (c) Captain, (vc) Vice Captain
Matt Dawson (vc)
Charlie Hodgson
Ben Cohen
Mike Catt
Mike Tindall
James Simpson-Daniel
Josh Lewsey

Players	Reserves
Kees Meeuws	Andrew Hore
Keven Mealamu	Tony Woodcock
Carl Hayman	Jerry Collins
Chris Jack	Marty Holah
Keith Robinson	Byron Kelleher
Jono Gibbes	Nick Evans
Richard McCaw(vc)	Sam Tuitupou
Xavier Rush	Key: (c) Captain
Justin Marshall
Carlos Spencer
Joe Rokocoko
Daniel Carter
Tana Umaga (c)
Doug Howlett
Mils Muliaina

This is an extremely hard game to call. England have a few stars missing from the World Cup winning side but still a team full of experience, size and skill. New Zealand have a pretty new side with only eight starting from the team that lost to Australia in the RWC semi. The forward pack is completely rearranged with 5 changes. Gibbes makes his debut at blindside when just last week it seemed he was converted to lock, and Robinson, Hayman and Rush are back from the wilderness. Gibbes seems to be there as a lineout option to combat the tall English pack but the ABs will really miss Jerry Collins go forward and brutal defence. How this pack will go against the hardened English pack is anyones guess put they all played their way in with storming displays in the trial which was closer to a test than Super 12 rugby. A lot will depend on McCaw having a blinder as usual and how well Rush can compete with the giant Dallaglio.

The backs are unchanged from the semi apart from Carter and Umaga in the midfield. New coach Henry has resisted the call to start Mehrtens who has been almost unstoppable in his last two weeks and keeps his faith in King Carlos who as usual has been brilliant and terrible from week to week in the Super 12.

If he doesn't succeed then it could be new boy Nick Evans big chance. He has the pace and skills to worry the English put is untested at this level. Sam Tuitupou could also cause some headaches with his extremely aggressive approach but the English have a very experienced midfield to combat this. Mike Catt has been brilliant coming off the bench for England in the last year and it will be interesting to see how he plays 80 minutes. Tindall of course is a huge man with great defence (his hit on Gregan in the final was brilliant) who likes the direct route but could be found out by the pace of the ABs back line.

To hard to call but maybe a tight English victory. Hopefully not

TAB ODDS: $1.40 New Zealand    $2.85 England    Points start: [-8.5 NZ $1.90 +8.5 ENG $1.90] [-10.5 NZ $2 +6.5 AUS $2]

CENTREBET ODDS: $1.36 New Zealand  $3.10 England  Points start: [-8.5 NZ $1.90 +8.5 ENG $1.90][-10.5 NZ $2.10 +6.5 AUS $2.10]

Date: Saturday June 12
Kick-off: 19.30
Venue: Carisbrook Stadium, Dunedin
Conditions: Fine. High 10°C, low -2°C
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