New Zealand target the scrum

Kieran Read insists the scrum is an area New Zealand are desperate to improve when they take on England this weekend in the third Test of their European tour.

The All Blacks’ pack was dominated by their Italian counterparts at scrum time in the dying stages of their 20-6 victory in Milan’s San Siro stadium on Saturday.

Graham Henry’s men also came off second best in that department in their 32-19 Bledisloe Cup victory over Australia in Tokyo a fortnight ago.

The set-piece is one of the few areas New Zealand have looked vulnerable in of late. And although it has not stopped a four-match winning run, Read is aware the All Blacks’ scrum has a point to prove.

“Every time you go into a Test match, your scrum wants to dominate,” said the Canterbury number eight. “We probably didn’t do that last weekend so it’s another chance to do that. And it’s a pretty good England scrum we are against.

Read should return to the back row at Twickenham at the expense of Rodney So’oialo, after being one of the many frontliners rested by the coaches for the Italy match. New Zealand will name their team on Wednesday.

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