All Blacks name Carter for Georgia clash

Hansen says the New Zealand selectors think they’ve picked the best 23 players for the match at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on Friday night (Saturday morning NZ time).

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has named a strong starting side, with skipper Richie McCaw and star playmaker Dan Carter both returning after sitting out the win over Namibia last week.

Naholo cracked his fibula while making his All Blacks debut against Argentina in July, and the injury was initially expected to keep him out of the tournament.

Ten weeks after breaking his right leg, New Zealand wing Waisake Naholo will make his second Test appearance against Georgia at the Rugby World Cup on Friday.

“There has been a lot of talk about a miracle cure, but he has come back when we expected him to”. Hansen said Enoka, who first started working with the All Blacks in 2000, was a very important cog in the wheel of the All Blacks machine.

Naholo was the top try scorer in this year’s Super Rugby, crossing 13 times for the Highlanders on their way to the title.

But the main talking point was the selection of Naholo who was selected for the World Cup when not fully fit but who Hansen always said would be his attacking weapon. “He’s not a witch doctor, not a doctor, all he knows is his leg is right”, Hansen said.

Centre Ma’a Nonu (shoulder), back Colin Slade (hamstring), flanker Liam Messam (calf) and fly-half Beauden Barrett were not considered due to injuries.

Hanson has also named two scrum-halves on the bench, Tawera Kerr-Barlow and TJ Perenara.

Centre Conrad Smith will be playing his 90th Test, having started in 85 of them.

New Zealand (v Georgia) – B Smith; W Naholo, C Smith, S B Williams, J Savea; D Carter, A Smith; W Crockett, D Coles, C Faumuina, B Retallick, S Whitelock, J Kaino, R McCaw (capt), K Read.

Their maiden meeting with the All Blacks will be a great occasion for the Georgians, but it’s clear they are already looking further ahead, to the pool closer against Namibia on October 7.

Nonu would have won his 100th global cap if selected to play against Georgia but Hansen was looking at the positives. That’s because a win in Exeter will likely seal third place and a spot in the 2019 Rugby World Cup.