5 Oct 2009

Canterbury get All Blacks back for Ranfurly Shield defence

5:59 pm on 5 October 2009

Canterbury's All Blacks return this week to play Manawatu in Friday night's Air New Zealand Cup and Ranfurly Shield match in Christchurch.

Props Wyatt Crockett and Owen Franks, lock Brad Thorn and blindside flanker Kieran Read will start, with All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw and first-five Dan Carter on the reserves bench.

Lock Isaac Ross is unavailable due to illness.

It will be Franks' first game for Canterbury this season and just the second for Thorn and McCaw who played in the successful Ranfurly Shield match against Wellington.

In other changes to the team which beat Counties-Manukau last week hooker Corey Flynn starts ahead of Ti'i Paulo and Tim Bateman replaces Casey Laulala at centre.

On the wing, Tu Umaga-Marshall comes in for James Paterson and Andy Ellis starts ahead of Tyson Keats at halfback.