The All Blacks temperature check
Middling, disastrous, superb.
The All Blacks were a huge mixed bag over their three games against the touring French – fairly typical given it’s their first time assembling for the year. With so many injuries both prior to and during the series, there were a number of players who got more game time than they would have expected only a month or two ago. Five new players received caps throughout the three matches and a number of players who, until the start of the series, had spent more time riding the pine than making plays on the field were thrust into starting roles.
There are a number of players due to return to action over the next few weeks – players who will need to be accommodated for in the All Blacks squad for The Rugby Championship. Some less senior players will have now cemented their spots in the next squad, whereas question marks remain over others. Who set the world alight and who needed to throw on some warm socks during the June series?
Hot – Scott Barrett
It’s been over six months since Brodie Retallick last played an international match. Widely considered the best lock in the world, his massive shoes are not easy to fill. Thankfully, Scott Barrett showed over the June series that if duty calls, he can step into that 4 jersey and make a real difference. Since his standout debut in 2016, Barrett has never quite proven that he has the goods to be an incredible international star – but his performance in the final test against France was one of the best you’ll see from a second-rower. There may well be a push to see Barrett spend some time on the flank in The Rugby Championship, just to try fit all three of the All Blacks’ first choice locks on the field at the same time, especially given Barrett seems to be the kind of guy that performs a lot better when he’s able to build into a game right from the outset instead of coming on later in the game.
Cold – Sam Cane
Before the start of the June series, Cane hadn’t played for over a month. What eventuated was a very underdone Cane running out against an intense French back row – and it showed. Cane has spent many years building up his reputation as a fierce tackler and a brilliant defensive organiser, yet there have always been many who haven’t understood his continued selection over Ardie Savea and Matt Todd. After two average performances Cane was left out of the matchday 23 for the final game of the series – maybe as a way of giving Savea and Todd more game time, but maybe also an acceptance from the All Blacks coaches that Cane was up against too much, too soon. No doubt, with a bit more game time in the closing rounds of Super Rugby, Cane will be reinstated as the starting 7 come August 18 when the All Blacks travel to Sydney.
Hot – Damien McKenzie
McKenzie has many detractors – presumably a large number of who come from the Canterbury region. Thrust into the spotlight early in the second test, he didn’t have a great game – but that was a theme consistent throughout the team. Given the opportunity to start his first test match at 10 in the final game of the tour, McKenzie showed that with a solid platform he’s highly capable, with Steve Hansen noting that he probably silenced a few critics. Still, McKenzie has a way to go before he’d be considered a safe pair of hands at 10. If he can carry the form of his most recent performance into the latter rounds of Super Rugby then he’ll continue to alleviate fears that he might not be up to taking on the lead playmaker role in a high-intensity test match.
Warm – Luke Whitelock
Moving forward, we can only wonder what the selectors’ plan with Luke Whitelock is. He started all three test matches without lighting up the world – but Whitelock is the kind of player who has a lot of work go unnoticed. Read will return to the back of the scrum come The Rugby Championship which means Whitelock will be relegated to a bench or squad role – at best. With room for maybe only six loose forwards in the squad, Whitelock will be competing for a place against Shannon Frizzell, Jordan Taufua and maybe even Jackson Hemopo for. Whitelock can certainly cover both 6 and 8, and his continued selection suggests he is highly valued by Hansen and co, but it’s hard to know if he has done enough to be included as a backup player moving forward, ahead of one of his younger compatriots.
Cold – Jordan Taufua
It’s pretty harsh to say a guy hasn’t made the most of his opportunities when he’s been injured throughout the whole period, but professional sport can be cruel and when competition is this fierce an injury can make a big difference to your chances. Taufua has been knocking on the door for test selection for a long time and the June series was his opportunity to prove that he’s big enough for test rugby. Naturally, that didn’t happen. This may well have been the only chance Taufua gets, given the slew of injuries.
Hot – Karl Tu’inukuafe and Jackson Hemopo
Prior to the start of the series, no one would have expected to see either of these two players in black. Even after making the squad as injury replacements, there were other players ahead of them in the pecking order. Somehow, both Tu’inukuafe and Hemopo made it onto the field (three times, in Tu’inukuafe’s case) and both made a good fist of their game time. With a number of injured props ready to return to the fold, Tu’unukuafe could find himself ousted from the squad for The Rugby Championship – but given how often props get injured it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him back on the pine in the near future. Hemopo, too, appeals as a lock-cum-flanker who could have a long-term future in the black jersey. The selectors are constantly on the lookout for hybrid players who can cover two roles off the bench, so Hemopo automatically has something going for him that others don’t. Though he may not have an opportunity to impress in The Rugby Championship with Fifita, Squire, Read and Retallick all likely returning from injury, the end of year tour appeals as a great opportunity for Hemopo to make some waves.
Comments on RugbyPass
Great story. Rugby needs new investment in teams like Brussels another pro league in Europe would be great.
1 Go to commentsAlso, looking at the data from last year, it seemed like by far the two biggest predictors of success were (1) kicking more than your opponents, and (2) having a higher rate of line-out wins than your opponents. I haven’t gone through the stats this year with a fine tooth comb, but the increase in kicks per game and the increase in tries from lineouts would suggest that these two metrics are only getting more important. England’s move away from a kick-heavy game to win against Ireland was seen by some as evidence that running rugby is on the rise. Alternatively it could be taken as evidence that if one team kicks more, and the other team wins more lineouts (as England did) a match is bound to be close to a draw.
2 Go to commentsI have been finding it odd that points per 22 entry has become such a talked about stat, given that your points per entry can be driven down by having more entries. These data would seem to confirm that it isn’t a useful metric, or at any rate is less useful than total entries.
2 Go to commentsI think the last two games England have played is some of their best rugby they have played under Borthwick. There has been a lot more attacking instinct and as a reward have created some well worked tries. Ollie Lawrence is a good foil at 12 as he offers the hard direct lines whilst the rest of the backs can play open. As much as it pains me to say but I do hope England keep playing this way. On a side note my favourite try of the weekend was Lorenzo Pani’s for the nice loop play that put him away and his finish was excellent. Thanks as always Nick.
39 Go to commentsMost exciting player on the planet right now, worth the price of a ticket.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith and Ireland live rent free in Safa’s heads. Their comments only triggers because its true. If the Boks had dismantled a 14 man AB’s, then there would be more respect. But they didnt, in fact quite the opposite, the 14 man NZ were clearly better. And the Bok have always been ordinary between RWC’s, thats why their supporters are now ‘only RWC’s matter’. They know thats BS. Its BS to both AB’s and Bok’s due to their history. But now its all the Safas have. Now we’ll hear excuses when they lose “oh we didnt have all our players available, the ABs/France/Eng/Irel were at full strength”, forgetting for a minute that its because of their own dumb policy. Oh well, makes a change from blaming ‘cheating refs’.
23 Go to commentsNo Nick, they did not, in fact, justify any ‘probables’ label. At no time did they seriously compete for the championship. Ireland led from start to finish and in the end, as a result of glaring referee errors, were never under serious pressure to lose their crown.
39 Go to commentsMoney for him, and his family, has been the sole motivator since he signed for Queensland aged 17. Why else sign for Melbourne. Tupou is poorly advised. If he’d stayed and developed in NZ he would have had a long Test career. If Leinster offer him a few more coins than he’s currently earning, he’s goneburger.
4 Go to commentsFinn. No one would say Ford had played well up until the last game. One standout performance in 5 is hardly in form . It should be a given that a 10 will control play . Not in Fords case be praised for suddenly doing so. Where was he against Scotland ,Italy. The pundits were saying how far away from play he was standing and one even said that the Ireland game was his last chance saloon to perform . Not exactly top form catching anyones eye. If he can play like this game after game then great. Keep him in . But after 90 odd caps we all know he just doesnt keep it going . By all means keep him there but the issue is that Borthwick will persist even when he plays poorly. Which is more often than not. Thats why i am concerned that Smith ,despite fab form , cannot get a game at his preferred spot. Can you imagine Ford at full back .
5 Go to commentsI do not really get why put Ollivon at 6 when he’s a 7, while Cros was the best Frenchman of the tournament, playing at…6. His only game replacing Aldritt at 8 doesn’t change much in terms of his impact. Lamaro was also outstanding in that brilliant Italian side, probably better than Reffell. So putting 2 Welsh players from the wooden spoon holders, and none of the 4th nation (Scotland) is also strange. Is it about showing that in this harsh transition Wales is, there were some standouts…?
6 Go to commentsThe events at this year’s six nations should undermine many of the arguments made against promotion and relegation between the six nations and the REC. If Italy had been allowed to yo-yo between divisions it conceivably could have really hurt their development, but if Italy, Wales, and Scotland are all at risk of relegation, with none of them being relegated more often than once every 3 or 4 years, you’d have to back all of them to muddle on through it, especially when you factor in the likelihood they’ll still be guaranteed world league matches against tier 1 opponents. Another way of looking at italys resurgence would be to say that the development model of adding an extra team to the six nations has worked, and now must be done again. Georgia could join to make it a 7 team round robin, and if and when Georgia demonstrate an ability to consistently win games, Portugal can also be added to make it an 8 team 2 conference competition. Frankly at this point I think it falls to world rugby to demand that the 6N act in the interests of the game. If the 6N won’t commit to expansion then the 6N teams should be handicapped in world cup draws (i.e. world cup seedings would not be based on their ranking points, but on their ranking points minus a 5 point penalty).
6 Go to commentsSteve Borthwick deserves credit for releasing the shackles on his England side and letting them play in a manner that somewhat resembles the top sides in the Gallagher Premiership. Will they revert to type in New Zealand in July.?
39 Go to commentsJames Lowe wouldn't get in any other 6N team. He's a great example of Farrell’s brilliance, and the Irish system. He is slow. His footwork is poor. But he fits perfectly in that Irish system, and has a superb impact. But put him in another team, and he'll look bang average.
6 Go to commentsCrusaders reached their heights through recruitment of North Island players, often leaving those NI teams bereft of key players. Example: Scott Barrett and Sam Whitelock robbed the Canes of their lineout and AB locks. For years the Canes have struggled at lock. This rabid recruitment was iniated by rule changes by a Crusader dominated NZR Head Office. Now this aggressive recruitment has back-fired, going after young inside back Hamilton Boys stars. They now have 4 Chiefs region 10s and not one with the requisite experience at Super level. Problems of their own making!
2 Go to commentsOver rated for a long time…exposed at scrum time too.
4 Go to comments“Firing me” should have been Gatland’s answer.
2 Go to commentsFinn Russell logic: “World” = 4 countries. Ireland may be at or near the top. FR’s bigger concern should be he and his fellow Scots (incl. the Bloemfontein ones) sliding back down to below top 10
42 Go to commentsMind games have begun. Ireland learned their lesson after saying they could beat England with 13 players or whatever. Still, if they win at Loftus, that would be impressive - final frontier etc.
58 Go to comments$950k for a Prop that isn’t fit enough to play 10 mins of rugby? Surely there is someone better to replace Big Mike with
4 Go to commentsFour Kiwis in that backline. A solid statement on the lack of invention, risk-taking and joy in the NH game; game of attrition and head- banging tedium. Longterm medical problems aplenty in the future!
6 Go to comments