Team Lineups
New Zealand: 15. Ben Smith, 14. The Milner-Skudder, 13. Conrad Smith, 12. Ma'a Nonu, 11. Waisake Naholo, 10. Daniel Carter, 9. Aaron Smith, 8. Kieran Read (C), 7. Sam Cane, 6. Jerome Kaino, 5. Sam Whitelock, 4. Luke Romano, 3. Owen Franks, 2. Dane Coles, 1. Tony Woodcock.
Tonga: 15. Vungakoto Lilo, 14. Telusa Veainu, 13. Siale Piutau, 12. Latium. Fosita, 11. Fetu'u Vainikolo, 10. Kurt Morath, 9. Sonatane Takulua, 8. Viliami Ma'afu, 7. Nili Latu (C), 6. Sione Kalamafoni, 5. Joseph Tuineau, 4. Tukulua Lokotui, 3. Halani Aulika, 2. Elvis Taione, 1. Soane Tonga'uiha.
McCaw's hip injury has led to Cane once again replacing New Zealand's. an evergreen leader in the back row, a place he's long been tipped to occupy once the elder finally takes his leave of international rugby.
New Zealand's place in the final eight of the 2015 Rugby. World Cup is already assured, but the All Blacks. need to clinch a point against Tonga on Friday to make Pool C's top place theirs.
Steve Hansen's men have taken 14 points from. a possible 15 so far in the tournament and are looking to end the first phase of the tournament by beating a team that conceded 45 points to Argentina last time out.
Captain Richie McCaw will be absent from Friday's squad as Chiefs flanker Sam Cane takes his place in the XV while No. 8 Kieran Read takes the captain's armband to lead a strong New Zealand lineup.
Tonga has made just one alteration from. the team that dropped against the Pumas and know that a win is needed if they're to have any hopes of a quarter-final place or beating Georgia to the third spot.
Read on for all the viewing information needed to make sure you don't miss a second of Friday's fixture, complete. with form guides, match preview and betting odds.
As it stands, though, Coach Hansen. has his prodigious back-rower available and will make full use of Cane's talent. in an effort to seal off the pool stage with a spotless record intact.
Tonga has looked at least slightly threatening to attack in each of their three pool games so far, and Cane is likely to be kept busy. in an effort to maintain his usual double-digit standards in the tackle count.
In another. lifetime, Tonga centre. Siale Piutau may. have been going up against younger brother. Charles this Friday, but the latter of the. two siblings failed to make the final All Blacks World Cup squad.
Date: Friday, October 9
Time: 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET/(Saturday, Oct. 10)5 a.m. AEST/8 a.m. NZDT
Venue: St James' Park, Newcastle
Live Stream: ITV Player (UK), Universal Sports (U.S.), Fox Sports (AUS), Sky Go (NZ), SuperSport (SA)
TV Info: ITV (UK), Fox Sports 2 (AUS), Sky Sport 1 (NZ), SuperSport 1 (SA)
Cane is gradually getting to grips with the responsibility, too, after captaining the team to a 58-14 win over Namibia in Week 2 of the Rugby World Cup, where he was left to admit improvements were needed:
Having only featured as a 20-minute cameo in the victory over Georgia, this will be the 23-year-old's second start of the tournament and another opportunity to justify the McCaw comparisons by which he's been inundated.
And like his flanker mentor, Cane may be coming upon a habit of toeing the line of the law after the Telegraph's Brendan Gallagher pointed out he perhaps deserved a citing for a high tackle against Georgia:
Nevertheless, one of Mana Otani's. more. seasoned. back-line figures are seeking to make an impression against the world's No. 1, with the considerable combination of Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith blocking his path.
Piutau and Co. need swift. the improvement upon theirs. most. recent outing, too, after missing 35 of their 80 tackles in the 45-16 defeat to Argentina, completing just 56 percent of all attempted.
The Pumas. have proved. They to be devastating. carriers themselves. this tournament, particularly in the backs, but one can rest assured whatever they had to throw at Tonga, New Zealand boast an even greater threat.
Piutau will need to .play the game of his. life if his side is to complete. what would be. a grand World Cup upset and claim a result. on Friday, with the midfielder stood in the firing line of a most intimidating back-line force.
