Argentina’s captain Agustin Creevy, centre, is tackled by the New Zealand defence
Saturday, 3:00am
New Zealand v Georgia
H 1, D 126, A 101
The All Blacks will have another go at unleashing their latest superstar wing against Georgia at the Rugby World Cup early Saturday (Macau time).
They’ll hope it goes better than their first attempt.
As Super Rugby’s top try-scorer this year, Waisake Naholo made his international debut for New Zealand amid much hype in a Rugby Championship game against Argentina on July 17. It lasted just 50 minutes, before he was helped off the pitch with a hairline fracture to his right fibula.
World Cup over, many thought. However, the break wasn’t as bad as first imagined and Naholo sought treatment by visiting Fiji for traditional healing from his uncle. It included putting leaves on the leg.
And such was the esteem the All Blacks coaching staff had for Naholo that the Highlanders winger was selected in their World Cup squad at the end of August, even though his fitness was still in question.
Dismissing talk of a “miracle cure,” New Zealand coach Steve Hansen said on Wednesday that the timing of Naholo’s comeback was expected.
“He’s not a witch doctor, not a doctor, all he knows is his leg is right,” Hansen said of a player he reckons was the best in Super Rugby.
“To have him out on the track after the disappointment of thinking we weren’t going to be able to select him, to get that second chance is wonderful. Watching him train this week is pleasurable.”
Naholo was 100 percent fit last week, but said the All Blacks medics have been “holding me back a bit.” He’ll be nervous this week, as he always is before a game, but it didn’t affect his accuracy when he went clay-pigeon shooting for the first time with teammates on Tuesday.
How was his shot? “It was pretty good,” he said, laughing.
Seeking a third straight win in Pool C to secure qualification to the quarterfinals, the All Blacks selected a largely full-strength team that included recalls for flanker Richie McCaw as captain and flyhalf Dan Carter.
Georgia has already beaten Tonga 17-10 and has third place in Pool C in its sights, which would qualify the team for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Steve Douglas, Cardiff, AP / Oddschecker.com
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