New Zealand make mass changes for Australia Test

Lock Tom Donnelly is one of five changes as the All Blacks selection panel run out of patience and wield the axe.

WELLINGTON // Lock Tom Donnelly will make his Test debut against Australia on Saturday after the All Black selectors finally ran out of patience and wielded the axe for the final Tri Nations match of the season. Donnelly, 27, was promoted to the team at the expense of Isaac Ross after the head coach Graham Henry made five personnel changes and two positional switches to the side that relinquished the title with a loss to South Africa last weekend.

Flanker Jerome Kaino and prop Owen Franks were also dumped from the squad and inside centre Stephen Donald was relegated to the reserves bench, although Henry said they were not being blamed for the team's 32-29 defeat in Hamilton. "There are no scapegoats from last weekend," Henry told the New Zealand Press Association. "Owen Franks probably got a shock when he was selected for the Test team. He's played a lot of rugby and he's probably gone over the top a wee bit.

"He just needs a bit of space and it's the same with Isaac, he's played every test this year and we just feel he needs a wee bit of space for a wee while." Donnelly's Otago teammate Adam Thomson was rewarded for his strong showing off the bench last week by being picked at blindside flanker while tight-head prop Neemia Tialata was recalled to the starting line-up for the first time since July. "We know they (Australia) have got a big scrum so we've picked Neemia because he's our best scrummager," Henry said.

"We're a wee bit concerned about the amount of football he's played in recent times but we think that's the best selection." Isaia Toeava was picked at centre and Cory Jane replaced the injured Sitiveni Sivivatu in a reshuffled backline. With Toeava coming into the side at outside centre, Ma'a Nonu was moved to inside centre while Joe Rokocoko was switched to the left wing to allow Jane to start on the right side.

Neither team can win the championship after South Africa wrapped up the title last weekend but there is still plenty at stake with both sides hoping to avoid the humiliation of finishing last. Donnelly's inclusion was a reward for a player who has been a regular in the the country's second-string team but almost gave up his dream of representing the All Blacks when he was offered a contract to play club rugby overseas.

"I decided to stay in New Zealand and chase the All Black jersey," he said. "At the start of the year I stopped worrying about it so much and just played footy. I played a little better for that." Donnelly's strength is at the line out, which has been the biggest area of concern for the All Blacks this season, but the assistant coach Steve Hansen said he expected him to make a difference all over the pitch.

"Tom's been in the Junior All Blacks over the last three to four years and he's just been knocking on the door all the time," Hansen said. * Reuters