McCaw, Cruden in N.Z. team for W. Cup semi-final

The All Blacks on Friday named injured skipper Richie McCaw and new fly-half Aaron Cruden among three changes to their side for this weekend's World Cup semi-final against Australia at Eden Park. McCaw hasn't trained this week because of an ongoing foot injury as he battles to make it to Sunday's crunch game with the Wallabies. Cruden will be New Zealand's third fly-half used at the tournament following groin injuries which sidelined first-choice Dan Carter and his understudy Colin Slade. Cruden is one of three backline changes with Israel Dagg replacing 100-cap Mils Muliaina at fullback and Richard Kahui returning to the wing after two games out with a shoulder injury. All Blacks coach Graham Henry said there had been careful management of McCaw's injury to ensure the team's inspirational skipper and openside flanker plays in the make-or-break game against the Wallabies. "He has trained very little and he'll train very little today," Henry told reporters. "The big thing is that he has to take to the track and he's got a niggling foot injury and the more we keep him off it the more chance he's got of playing 80 minutes over the weekend, it's as simple as that. "He's pretty upbeat and looking forward to the game, but he's frustrated by it obviously and he would like to be taking full part (in training), but you've got to make pragmatic decisions on that and he's doing that. "Where some other people might push it and not play, he's not pushing it so he can play, so I think he's made a good decision." Henry backed the selectors' faith in entrusting the crucial playmaking role at number 10 to Cruden, who wasn't chosen in the original 30-man squad but found himself in the hot seat after injuries to Carter and Slade. "It's a little bit different. He's the man this week. Last week he was the sub, so it's a big change for him," Henry said. "But he's a bright rugby player, he knows the game well and he's captained a lot of teams he's been in, he directs the traffic well. "But it's a big game, the biggest game he's ever played in and the biggest a lot of them have played in. I'm sure it's challenging, but he seems to be handling it well." The All Blacks have lost two of their last three encounters with the Wallabies, including the Tri-Nations decider in Brisbane. But the Wallabies have not won at the All Blacks' citadel at Eden Park for 25 years. "I think there's a quiet focus and determination among the players. The guys are a bit quieter than normal because it's such a huge game," Henry said. "It's probably the biggest game these guys have played in 10 years. "It happens to be Australia, they're a big brother to us in many ways. A country of 20 odd million compared to four and a half million and that is a positive relationship, it brings the best out of New Zealanders. "But as far as this rugby tournament is concerned it's a semi-final that you need to win a Cup, it just so happens it's a game against Australia. "We know them, they know us well, there's a lot rivalry, but I don't think it's any different from playing anyone else in a Rugby World Cup semi-final, you've just got to do the business." In other changes on the bench, Andy Ellis and Stephen Donald come in and Sonny Bill Williams was named as the third back replacement in a four-three forwards-backs split.