Predicted All Blacks team to play Scotland

The All Blacks selectors will name their team to play Scotland at Murrayfield later this week, but our man Scott Donaldson thought it would be fun to try to guess this team. 

Scotland is coming off an excellent win over Argentina, but are still rank outsiders. There are only two games left this season, while in the past the All Blacks selectors would use the Scotland test to give all of their squad members a game, but this squad under Steve Hansen tends to make minor tweaks, rather than making wholesale changes.

The All Blacks will be missing Brodie Retallick (injury) and Conrad Smith (returning to New Zealand for family issue) for  this match. There are some major talking points with the midfield without both Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith looking a bit light on experience, while will we see Daniel Carter return from injury to either start or take his place on the bench? 

Jeremy Thrush should replace Brodie Retallick, while it will be interesting to see if the props or hookers are rotated or not. The Scotland pack will keep the All Blacks on their toes. The Gray brothers are great lineout exponents and that is where the All Blacks struggled against England.

It will also be interesting to see who makes the bench, which is also difficult to predict!

I am picking a midfield of Sonny Bill Williams to start at second five eighth with Ryan Crotty to provide some reliability at centre. Malakai Fekitoa may get some gametime from the bench if he is selected there ahead of Charles Piutau and Colin Slade.

I would pick Dan Carter to start at first five eighth with Beauden Barrett providing cover at both first five eighth and fullback from the bench.

Here is my predicted All Blacks team to play Scotland - do you agree?

15. Israel Dagg
14. Ben Smith
13. Ryan Crotty
12. Sonny Bill Williams
11. Julian Savea
10. Dan Carter
9. Aaron Smith
8. Kieran Read
7. Richie McCaw (C)
6. Jerome Kaino
5. Sam Whitelock
4. Jeremy Thrush
3. Owen Franks
2. Dane Coles
1. Wyatt Crockett

Reserves

16. Kevin Mealamu
17. Ben Franks
18. Charlie Faumuina
19. Patrick Tuipulotu
20. Liam Messam
21. TJ Perenara
22. Beauden Barrett
23. Malakai Fekitoa

Who would you pick for the All Blacks team to play Scotland?