Thursday, 16 August 2012

Richie Ready for Rugby Championship


Captain Richie McCaw will return to his open-side flanker spot as New Zealand and Australia prepare to kick-off the first four-nation Rugby Championship.

McCaw, 31, played at number eight in the All Blacks 42-10 win against Ireland, but Kieran Read has been handed the role for Saturday's Test.

Ma'a Nonu steps in for injured vice-captain Conrad Smith at outside centre.

The Rugby Championship is replacing the Tri-Nations as the major international tournament in the southern hemisphere.

Argentina have joined Australia, New Zealand and South Africa to make it a four-team competition.

The opening match in the ANZ Stadium, Sydney at 02:05 BST also represents the start of the now annual three-Test series Bledisloe Cup which is contested by the two nations.

Australia won the final Tri-Nations, but have not held the Bledisloe Cup since 2002.

"We were fortunate enough to win the Tri-Nations for the first time in 10 years last year," Wallabies captain Will Genia said. "But outside of the Rugby World Cup there is nothing bigger than the Bledisloe."

Fellow Rugby Championship sides South Africa and Argentina begin their campaign on the same day at 15:00 BST in the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town.



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