TNT Sports
MacDonald doubtful for NZ
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Published 02/09/2005 at 13:19 GMT+1
New Zealand scrumhalf Piri Weepu was cleared on Friday to play for the All Blacks in Saturday's final Tri-nations match against Australia at Eden Park in Auckland, but there were growing concerns about injured flyhalf Leon MacDonald. Follow the match LIVE
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Weepu was given the green light to start after recovering from a thigh strain but MacDonald remained in doubt because of a hip problem. MacDonald joined in Friday's final practice session but coach Graham Henry called Brent Ward into the squad on standby as a precaution.
If MacDonald was ruled out, Luke McAlister would move off the bench into the starting side with Ward joining the reserves.
New Zealand are overwhelming favourites to win the match and regain the Tri-nations title against an Australian side badly out of form and ravaged by injuries but Henry is taking nothing for granted.
"Of all the international teams we play, we find the Australians play a style which is more difficult to contain," Henry told a news conference in Auckland. "The Australians are in an ideal situation really. They've got nothing to lose, they'll throw the kitchen sink at us and hopefully turn their season around."
With 17 players unavailable, Wallabies coach Eddie Jones was forced to gamble on a new-look side but said the makeup of the team would not alter their gameplan.
"Playing against New Zealand ultimately comes down to a set piece struggle and a tackle contest struggle," he said. "For us to do well in the game we're going to have to have parity particularly in the set piece and we're going to have to win the tackle contest area."
GREGAN CONTROVERSY
The Wallabies have lost their last four matches and the build-up to Saturday's clash at Eden Park has been dominated by mounting speculation over the future of George Gregan.
The Australia captain will equal Jason Leonard's world record of 114 test appearances for a single country (Leonard earned five additional test caps for the British and Irish Lions) but is under enormous pressure to quit or be sacked.
Gregan has refused to stand down and said he would not let the controversy distract him.
"Everyone feels pressure, it's how you deal with it that's important," he said. "I always try to deal with it with a positive mindset."
While Gregan has come under attack from a range of former Australian test players, he did find an unlikely ally in All Blacks captain Tana Umaga.
"To lose a man with a lot of experience would be pretty tough on these younger guys," Umaga said. "I don't think some players have the discipline to do that, the want to do that. My hats off to Georgie."
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