England v All Blacks (Sun 3:30am)

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Okey cokey, pig in a pokey*, this is the one game left to top of an amazing year for the All Blacks (I know, Scotland next week ... !).

Mr Henry is talking about last years incredible demolition of France - well, if the All Black forwards can do that again (no rye smile from Anton though) then I think England will be lucky to get out of it alive. A huuuge IF.

England
15 Josh Lewsey (London Wasps); 14 Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks); 13 Jamie Noon (Newcastle Falcons); 12 Mike Tindall (Gloucester); 11 Ben Cohen (Northampton Saints); 10 Charlie Hodgson (Sale Sharks); 9 Matt Dawson (London Wasps); 1 Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks); 2 Steve Thompson (Northampton Saints); 3 Phil Vickery (Gloucester); 4 Steve Borthwick (Bath Rugby); 5 Danny Grewcock (Bath Rugby); 6 Pat Sanderson (Worcester Warriors); 7 Lewis Moody (Leicester Tigers); 8 Martin Corry (Leicester Tigers (capt))

Replacements:
16 Lee Mears (Bath Rugby); 17 Matt Stevens (Bath Rugby); 18 Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers); 19 Chris Jones (Sale Sharks); 20 Harry Ellis (Leicester Tigers) 21 Olly Barkley (Bath Rugby); 22 Mark van Gisbergen (London Wasps)

All Blacks
Mils Muliaina, Doug Howlett, Tana Umaga (captain), Aaron Mauger, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Dan Carter, Byron Kelleher, Rodney So'oialo, Richie McCaw, Jerry Collins, Ali Williams, Chris Jack, Carl Hayman, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock. Reserves: Andrew Hore, Neemia Tialata, Jason Eaton

Good to hear Ma'a Nonu wasn't further penalised. Hope he gets on with playing the game now, silly sod.

And don't forget the World Cup 2011 Hosting announcement early this Friday morning.

And talking about the World Cup, the perennial question of peaking too early:
Henry was again posed the question on whether he thought his side could improve further in the next 24 months, or if they had peaked at the wrong time as they chase their first World Cup since 1987.
Observing that he had been asked that question at every press conference on this tour, Henry planted his tongue firmly in his cheek
"What we're trying to do is lose a few Test matches so we don't peak now -- that's the challenge for Saturday."

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