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'Biggest name throughout Super Rugby': Ex-All Black left puzzled by left wing selection
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Ex-All Black Israel Dagg has been left surprised by the omission of Hurricanes star Fehi Fineanganofo ahead of the tour match against the Stormers.
The selectors have picked returning Leinster midfielder Rieko Ioane on the left wing while Blues wing Caleb Clarke was named in the reserves in the No.23 jersey.
Fineanganofo made his Test debut against France in the opening week of the Nations Championships fixtures off the bench but only played 12 minutes with limited opportunities with ball-in-hand.
Chiefs wing Leroy Carter was given the start the following week against Italy while Hurricanes teammate Josh Moorby was given the start against Ireland.
After lighting up Super Rugby Pacific with a record-breaking haul of 17 tries in the season, former All Black fullback Dagg thought that this would be the game to get Fineanganofo more experience.
“Round two, are we going to see a Fineanganofo? I thought this might have been the game that we see Fehi,” Dagg questioned on Sport Nation’s Izzy & Scotty show.
“It’s an interesting one. We haven’t seen a hell of a lot of him.
“He’s the biggest name throughout Super Rugby and we’ve seen glimpses of him throughout these All Blacks games, so maybe they’re just saving him for that Sharks game in the lead up to that first Test, and that’ll be where the start of the team.”
“But all-in-all, Sumo, I like it. It’s a good starting team.”
The man taking the left wing position is 88-Test veteran Rieko Ioane, who featured in the No.11 jersey last year before missing selection to rookie Leroy Carter and Caleb Clarke down the stretch.
NZ pundit and commentator Scotty Stevenson was adamant that Rennie’s staff see Ioane purely as a winger as well, and that he is in the squad to boost depth in the outside backs.
In the midfield the All Blacks have given Anton Lienert-Brown and Billy Proctor the start to play the Stormers, giving Jordie Barrett and Quinn Tupaea a spell.
“I don’t see him as a centre in this team. I don’t,” Stevenson claimed.
“I think he’s been picked as an outside back. I stand to be corrected, but I think he’s there as an outside back.”
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