Cowan and Franks get All Blacks call

New Zealand have drafted Jimmy Cowan and Ben Franks into their starting XV to face South Africa in Johannesburg on Saturday.

The two changes are the only ones for the All Blacks following their last Tri Nations game – a 20-10 victory over Australia just more than 10 days ago.

Graham Henry’s team need just a point from the match at Soccer City, now known as FNB Stadium, the venue that hosted the football World Cup final in July, to seal the title.

Cowan takes the place of Piri Weepu in the number nine jersey with the scrum-half dropping to the bench, while Franks comes in for his brother Owen, who drops out of the match 22.