Mealamu misses out against Scots and Irish

NEW ZEALAND will enter the second match of their autumn Grand Slam quest with Scotland today without Keven Mealamu after the hooker’s appeal against his four-week ban was only partially successful.

Mealamu had a month-long ban for an apparent head-butt to England captain Lewis Moody reduced to two weeks, after an International Rugby Board (IRB) appeal committee adjudged the incident to be foul play, but not intentional.

Mealamu will therefore miss the Murrayfield match and next week’s meeting with Ireland, but will be permitted to return for the November 28 meeting with Wales in Cardiff.

The All Blacks had previously been the subject of criticism this week for a perceived over-reaction in so vehemently defending Mealamu.

The reaction in South Africa has been particularly strong in the light of the nine-week ban that Springboks lock Bakkies Botha was given for head-butting All Blacks scrum-half Jimmy Cowan in a Tri Nations match in Johannesburg last July.

Mealamu has been embroiled in controversy previously, most notoriously when he was cited for his involvement in the tackle that ended Irish centre Brian O’Driscoll’s 2005 Lions tour in the opening moments of the first Test in Christchurch.

The citing commissioner deemed that he was not guilty of a spear tackle on that occasion, but the IRB subsequently condemned the challenge as “unacceptably dangerous”.

The 82-Test veteran had been named by head coach Graham Henry in the All Blacks starting line-up, but now his place goes to the uncapped Hikawera Elliot.

It means New Zealand have made five changes to their starting XV from last weekend’s match with England, which they won 26-16.

Captain Richie McCaw, who made his All Blacks debut in 2001, and full-back Mils Muliaina retained their places and will earn their 92nd caps at Murrayfield, equalling Sean Fitzpatrick’s All Blacks record.

New Zealand are determined to deliver after defeat in Hong Kong to Australia ended a run of 15 straight Test successes before the winning feeling was restored by victory at Twickenham last weekend.

In 105 years, the All Blacks have never lost to Scotland.

Henry, though, has opted for continuity on this occasion, keeping the nucleus of the team which beat England.

Jimmy Cowan returns at scrum-half, Liam Messam, who made his debut against Scotland two years ago, was named at flanker, Conrad Smith comes in at centre for Ma’a Nonu and Isaia Toeava comes on to the right wing.