'Because the All Blacks skipper's in the 7, you can fall and be forgotten': Under-the-radar Blues flanker pushing for a more prominent All Blacks role
When Richie McCaw wore No 7 for the All Blacks, there were other openside flankers from around New Zealand who, despite playing out of their skin week-in and week-out, rarely had a chance to pull on the black jersey.
The likes of Marty Holah, Daniel Braid and Craig Newby regularly impressed at Super Rugby level but amassed just 17 starting appearance for the NZ national side between them.
With Sam Cane taking over from McCaw as both the long-term No 7 and, following Kieran Read’s retirement, the full-time captain, his compatriots will likely find their pathways to wearing No 7 for the All Blacks similarly blocked.
Ardie Savea, arguably the country’s best player in recent years, has been moved around the backrow and now seems destined to play at Number 8 should he wish to regularly start for the national side.
Other openside flankers around the country may find they also need to re-invent themselves if they want to have any hope of running out in a black jersey while Cane holds down the No 7.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod, Super Rugby centurions James Parsons and Bryn Hall suggested that one player who deserves greater chances in black is Blues flanker Dalton Papalii – a man who’s more than capable of slotting in across the backrow.
“I’d like to put Dalton Papalii in the conversation for a bench spot because he can cover 6, 7 and 8,” said Parsons, a former All Blacks hooker.
“Sometimes he can be a bit forgotten about because he wears the 7 in the Blues team but he can play other roles and I think, sometimes when you wear the 7 in Super teams, it’s just because the All Blacks skipper’s in the 7, you can fall and be forgotten. As poor Ardie’s found out as well – and I suppose that’s why he plays a little bit more at 8.”
23-year-old Papalii is now in his fourth season with the Blues, having debuted for the Auckland-based side in 2018.
That same year, Papalii was called up by the All Blacks for their end of year tour and went on to make two appearances, against Japan and Italy. Further tests followed in 2019 and 2020 but stiff competition from other loose forwards around the country has severely limited his minutes for New Zealand.
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A few more performances like what Papalii put on the park in Saturday evening’s loss to the Chiefs won’t harm his chances of greater test opportunities in 2021, however.
“I think he was just a freak on the weekend,” Parsons said. “21 tackles, 4 turnovers, 1 lineout steal – sometimes you can forget that Dalton’s a genuine lineout option. He’s a power athlete. He’s explosive so he can play a 6 and an 8 role in that lineout space. He can play a 7 role because he’s great over the ball. Six carries for 36-odd metres.
“I know I’m trending down a Blues line here. But don’t forget about Dalton in that space, especially on the bench.”
Hall, who represented the Blues for a handful of seasons before shifting south to the Crusaders in 2017, was equally full of praise for the 23-year-old.
“What I love about Dalton, [is that] he’s just a big-time player,” he said. “There are big-time moments in game when you talk about influencing games and you talked around the four turnovers but it’s the timing of those turnovers, when he’s winning them.
“Sam Cane’s been doing it for years and he’s captain of the All Blacks but … the thing I love about Dalton is his ability to have those big impactful moments time and time again.”
“And he’s got no fear,” added Parsons. “He’ll go for the big play and I think that’s what all great players will do, they will always go for the big play. There’s no fear of giving the penalty away – he wants to be that man in the arena. Sort of like how Richie Mo’unga goes ‘I walk towards that pressure’ – Dalton’s of that vein. He wants that pressure, he wants the big occasion, he wants that moment and he wants to be the guy to do it.
“But yeah, Dalton just needs to be remembered. Especially in a bench role … He can play a great bench role because of his versatility.”
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While Papalii has previously spoken of his desire to own the No 7 jersey despite his obvious versatility, ousting both Cane and Savea from the All Blacks’ starting lineup would require as much luck as it would outstanding performances from the Blues utility.
A spot on the bench, on the other hand, is an entirely achievable outcome for the 23-year-old.
Papalii will lock horns with Savea and Hurricanes tyro Du’Plessis Kirifi – who was a late call-up to the All Blacks last year – in this Saturday’s match at Eden Park.
Another stellar performance from Papalii will be a must if the Blues are to get their season back on track following losses to the Crusaders and the Chiefs over the past two weekends.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Should've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to comments