24 Jul 2008

Wallaby captain says All Blacks won't be weakened with the loss of Richie McCaw

6:50 pm on 24 July 2008

The Wallabies stand in captain George Smith says New Zealand won't be weakened by losing openside flanker and All Black captain Richie McCaw.

McCaw has been ruled out of the Tri Nations Bledisloe Cup test in Sydney on Saturday night after failing to recover fully from an ankle injury he sustained five weeks ago.

Smith says New Zealand has named a good replacement in Daniel Braid who is a top class scavenger on the rugby field.