Return of Rodzilla

Return of Rodzilla

The Australian selectors have had a change of heart today announcing the return of Rodney Blake to the tight head prop position for the teat against the All Blacks this weekend. The number 3 has presumably been recalled to bolster a struggling Wallaby front row, and will certainly increase the average weight of the pack significantly, weighing in at an impressive 130 kilos. For more on the Aussie reaction to the selection, click here.

This is an interesting call as we have heard coach Connolly carrying on for the last week or so about how the props he has are world class, and he will be sticking with them…presumably there has either been a change of heart, or all the talk was just hot air. For my money the coach has seen the danger of allowing the All Blacks to dominate up front and is making the only move he has left to do something about it. It remains to be seen if it will work, Rodzilla didn’t impress that much for the reds in this years Super 14 against the All Black front rows.

Rodzilla will have his hands full taking on Tony Woodcock this weekend…if the big man is fit for the game. Apparently he has been selected on medical advice that his shoulder injury will be better by the weekend…probably. So, we may yet see a change to the All Black front row. I think it matters not, the All Black replacement will be more than capable of handling the inexperienced front row for the Wallabies. For kiwi reaction to the selection, click here.

I don’t think that there is much weight to be given to Connolly’s claims about the All Blacks having favourite status after delivering a sound beating to the Wallabies in Christchurch, and an ‘impressive’ performance against the Africans (not sure if he watched the same game that I did). For my money, this is shaping up to be a classic clash this weekend and I am very much looking forward to it. There will be plenty of comment to come this week, and you can rely on it all to be covered here. Bring it on!