1
How the All Blacks XV are suffering from their big brother's injury toll
Challenges are mounting for the All Blacks XV as the team’s debut approaches while more players become unavailable for the already reduced squad.
ADVERTISEMENT
Ian Foster revealed his initial plan was to have some of the younger, less experienced All Blacks squad members join the XV side for more international game time. Injuries and personal matters have since forced changes, impacting both sides.
Sky’s The Breakdown panel tallied the losses for the XV team and shared concern for the productivity of the tour given the circumstances.
Ex-All Black Jeff Wilson was the first to express worry.
“For Leon MacDonald and Clayton McMillan and his team, for the All Blacks XV, it’s got really challenging all of a sudden,” Wilson said.
“So, after the Japan game, six days later they’ve got to play Ireland A, and so a number of the players I’m sure who are going up to Japan will then cross back, surely – because they haven’t announced any replacements and there’s been a huge number of injuries.
“(Brodie) McCalister and (George) Bell, they got banged up in the (NPC) final yesterday. Oli Jager’s out, he’s out for a significant amount of time. No Angus Ta’avao, no Bryn Gatland.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Then you’ve taken Patrick Tuipulotu, Brad Weber, Damian McKenzie, (Asafo Aumua), integral parts out of that group, as they’re preparing for their game.
“I look at this right now and I think about this All Blacks XV group – and I’m sure there’s a number of aggrieved Wellington players who would have liked to be a part of that – but all of a sudden that group’s got really small, and trying to prepare is going to be very very difficult.
“Once again, I’m not sure this All Blacks XV tour, after being four games reduced to two and with the circumstances we’re facing, is any easy task.”
The All Blacks XV squad was initially named with 28 players, of which four have been injured and another four called into the All Blacks as cover.
ADVERTISEMENT
The remaining 20 will meet for training camp this week before heading to Ireland for their clash against Ireland A in Dublin on November 4 and the Barbarians at Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Nov 13.
“It’s going to be interesting to see those selections and who’s going to be actually making those selections,” Ex-Black Fern Chelsea Semple said.
“Is it going to be the All Blacks XV coaches? Or is it going to be Ian Foster and the team because they want to make the selections that they want to see, to be the backup players for the All Blacks in case of any injuries leading into a World Cup?
“The thing that’ll be hard for that All Blacks XV team, is you’ve lost your nine and ten.
“When you’re preparing for a test, they’re running the show.
“You’ve still got Perenara there, he’ll be disappointed to miss out on the callup, but you’ve lost Brad Weber and Damian McKenzie who as a combination have been tried and tested and true.
“So, their preparation is not going to be as good, because flying from Japan to (Europe) with a six-day turnaround after potentially playing a test match as well, it’s tough on the body.
Mils Muliaina questioned how much care is going into the XV team with the priority clearly so heavily on the premier side.
“What does it actually cater for? I mean let’s be honest, the All Blacks coaches named the All Blacks XV, so when you’ve got those guys coming over, isn’t this tour catered around the All Blacks? It’s not catered around the All Blacks XV.”
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments