Changing of the guard: How the loss of All Blacks will impact each Mitre 10 Cup squad
Ian Foster’s 35-man All Blacks squad will assemble for the first time today in Whakatane as preparations for the upcoming Bledisloe Cup series get underway.
Plenty of anticipation has arisen since last week’s confirmation that the All Blacks and Wallabies will do battle with each other for the first time in over a year next month.
New Zealand will host two matches in Wellington on October 11 and Auckland on October 18 before jetting off to Australia to take part in the Rugby Championship, and the final two Bledisloe Cup tests of the three-match series, in November and December.
But while there has been much fanfare over the prospect of the All Blacks returning to our screens after an 11-month lay-off, some of New Zealand’s rugby diehards have expressed disdain over the impact it will have on the Mitre 10 Cup.
Without the nation’s top players participating in the Mitre 10 Cup, New Zealand’s premier provincial competition will lose plenty of its stardust over the coming weeks, and the impact of the All Blacks’ departures will differ for each province.
Auckland
The side that will perhaps be the hit the hardest by the wave of outgoing All Blacks is Auckland.
The ensemble of All Blacks in the Bay of Plenty will strip the province of its seven national representatives, with Patrick Tuipulotu, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Hoskins Sotutu, Rieko and Akira Ioane, Caleb Clarke and Alex Hodgman travelling to Whakatane.
Of those seven, only Tuipulotu played no part in Auckland’s matches against Otago and Wellington, meaning the 2018 champions won’t have to plunge too deep into their squad to accomodate for his loss, but the same can’t be said for the others.
Fortunately, Auckland have among the strongest rosters in the Mitre 10 Cup and can call upon an array of internationals, Super Rugby stars and up-and-coming talents to fill the voids left by that remaining sextet.
Through the likes of 14-test All Black Angus Ta’avao, Samoan international James Lay, Blues regular Marcel Renata and former Sunwolves player Jarrad Adams, the absences of props Tu’ungafasi and Hodgman have been well and truly covered.
Similarly in the loose forwards, head coach Alama Ieremia can call upon any one of Blues stalwart Blake Gibson, returning Bristol Bears loanee Adrian Choat, Blues rookie Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa and emerging star Niko Jones to replace Akira Ioane and Sotutu.
Admittedly, few can offer the powerful impact that midfielder Rieko Ioane and wing Clarke gave Auckland in their two appearances for the region.
However, with a raft of current and former Super Rugby options at their disposal in the form of captain TJ Faiane, Tumua Manu, Tanielu Tele’a, Salesi Rayasi, Jordan Trainor and Inga Finau, Auckland still pose significant threats out wide.
Taranaki
Newly-crowned Ranfurly Shield holders Taranaki won’t be able to rely on superstar brothers Beauden and Jordie Barrett and young lock Tupou Vaa’i anymore after all three made the trek to Whakatane.
That’s a considerable loss of talent that most teams would struggle to cope with, something of which the Bulls aren’t likely to be immune to.
However, the evergreen fullback Jayson Potroz has proven himself at Mitre 10 Cup level and is a leading candidate to take Jordie’s place in the starting side.
We know it, you know it… But does Ian Foster know it? #CANvTAR #RanfurlyShield @Mitre10Cup #AllBlackshttps://t.co/xSCSofkVBk
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 20, 2020
Who will stand in for Beauden is more difficult to decipher given that Blues playmaker Stephen Perofeta has been out of action for quite some time, meaning the well-travelled Cody Rei could come into the selection frame.
Named on the bench for Saturday’s momentous victory, Jack Jordan seems the next cab off the rank to partner 18-year-old Josh Lord in the second row given Vaa’i’s unavailability.
Canterbury
The losing side of the weekend’s exhilarating Ranfurly Shield encounter, Canterbury, will have their woes compounded by the fact that they will have to see out the Mitre 10 Cup without six of their All Blacks.
Sam Whitelock, Richie Mo’unga, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody, George Bridge and Cullen Grace all played in that match and the one the week beforehand against North Harbour in Albany.
Apart from Auckland, no team has to deal with such a drain of experience and talent, but, as is the case with Auckland, there is considerable depth within the 14-time champions’ squad.
Highlanders loosehead prop Daniel Lienert-Brown leads the charge to replace Moody in the No. 1 jersey, while former New Zealand U20 representative Shilo Klein will go toe-to-toe with Crusaders rake Brodie McAlister for Taylor’s place at hooker.
In former World Cup-winner Luke Romano, Crusaders veteran Mitchell Dunshea and new Blues signing Sam Darry, there are a plethora of options to cover for Whitelock in the second row.
The same can be said of utility forward Grace, who was deployed at No. 8 for Canterbury, with Crusaders pair Whetu Douglas and Tom Sanders set to jostle with each other for a place at the back of the scrum.
Out-of-contract Highlanders speedster Josh McKay and Crusaders flyer Manasa Mataele are expected to welcome All Blacks Sevens playmaker Andrew Knewstubb into a new-look back three without Bridge.
One-test All Blacks pivot Brett Cameron, meanwhile, will be supported by young gun Fergus Blake as they step up in place of Mo’unga at No. 10.
Tasman
The Mako stormed to the title without registering a single defeat last season, and they have kept their winning record intact this year after opening their campaign with back-to-back victories over Counties Manukau and Northland.
The reigning champions were heavily reliant on their electric outside backs Sevu Reece and Will Jordan in those two fixtures, but will have to make do without them when they face a stern test from Waikato in Nelson this weekend.
Tasman remain in good stead in the outside backs, though, as they still have three-test All Blacks utility David Havili, breakout Blues star Mark Telea, Crusaders starlet Leicester Fainga’anuku, Tongan international Fetuli Paea, Highlanders wing Tima Fainga’anuku and exciting youngster Jamie Spowart as capable replacements.
Tasman have continued their perfect start to the #Mitre10Cup with another bonus-point victory over Northland in Nelson.https://t.co/Wdd8sbun70
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 19, 2020
A further three All Blacks – prop Tyrel Lomax, lock Quinten Strange and loose forward Shannon Frizell – have also left the Mako set-up.
Tasman’s healthy loose forward stocks should allow the likes of Crusaders tearaway Sione Havili, ex-Hurricane Hugh Renton and German teenager Anton Segner to flourish even without Frizell, but the Mako’s depth chart isn’t so fruitful in the tight five.
Although Strange didn’t play against Counties or Northland through injury, the one-test All Black started in both matches and will be sorely missed, with one-time Blues front rower Isaac Salmon likely to be called upon to fill Lomax’s boots.
Waikato
The impressive Mooloos outfit travels to Nelson this week without explosive fullback Damian McKenzie and star midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown.
The pair were prominent figures in Waikato’s hefty victories over Wellington and North Harbour, and they leave gaping holes in head coach Andrew Strawbridge’s match day side.
Lienert-Brown will be the easier of the duo to replace, with his midfield partner Quinn Tupaea already standing out for men in red, black and yellow.
For the second week running, #AllBlacks star Damian McKenzie has caught the eye in a Waikato jersey in his last provincial appearance before rejoining the national side.https://t.co/yn7pd2OVrF
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 19, 2020
The 21-year-old could would pack a formidable punch with fellow Chiefs youngster Bailyn Sullivan at No. 12 and No. 13 together, but how Stawbridge vacates the No. 15 role left by McKenzie may prove to be trickier.
Experienced playmaker Fletcher Smith has spent some time at fullback over the years, as has first five Matty Lansdowne, who played at No. 15 for the Maori All Blacks two years ago.
Wellington
Upsetting the odds to topple a strong Auckland at Eden Park on Sunday, Wellington will have to overcome the loss of four of their key players to Ian Foster’s squad.
One of those players, veteran hooker Dane Coles, didn’t take the field against Auckland or in their season-opening defeat to Waikato, but powerful rake Asafo Aumua did to devastating effect.
The 23-year-old’s impactful display in the Lions’ 39-21 win at Eden Park will be hard to replicate, but head coach Leo Crowley will look to experienced back-up James O’Reilly to provide similar impetus at No. 2.
Elsewhere, Highlanders loose forward Teariki Ben-Nicholas looks a ready-made replacement for Ardie Savea at No. 8, and will join an industrious back row consisting of Vaea Fifita and Du’Plessis Kirifi.
Star halfback TJ Perenara featured prominently for the Lions over the past two weeks, but it will be up to the long-serving Kemara Hauiti-Parapara to step up to the plate in his absence.
https://twitter.com/RugbyPass/status/1307849463583535104
Bay of Plenty
After captaining his province to a hard-fought win over a seemingly much-improved Southland outfit, All Blacks skipper Sam Cane is the only player from Bay of Plenty to depart for the national set-up.
There are no shortage of contenders to take his place at openside flanker, though, with Chiefs back-up Mitch Karpik filling that role in the Steamers’ season-opener against Taranaki.
He will, however, have plenty of competition for the No. 7 jersey, with Tongan international Zane Kapeli, ex-Scotland representative Hugh Blake and All Blacks Sevens star Sam Dickson among those waiting in the wings.
Manawatu
Despite his best efforts, All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith couldn’t get Manawatu into the winner’s circle in his two outings for the Turbos against Northland and Otago.
Regardless, he showed his world-class credentials in both displays, and as good as he has been for the Hurricanes and Turbos, Jamie Booth will have a massive task to fill the void left by the 92-test All Black.
Counties Manukau
Likewise, neither Dalton Papalii nor Nepo Laulala could pick up a win for Counties Manukau in their two appearances against Tasman and Hawke’s Bay.
That isn’t reflective of their immense abilities, though, and the Steelers might have a rough time in unearthing players of their ilk at openside flanker and tighthead prop.
Irish front rower Conan O’Donnell, who turned out for the Highlanders this year, could offer some relief up front, but ex-All Blacks captain Kieran Read at No. 8 may have to bear the brunt of a lack of experience and notable figures in the loosies.
Hawke’s Bay
Hawke’s Bay’s sole All Blacks representative Brad Weber was integral to the Magpies’ win over Counties Manukau on Sunday, bagging a brace of tries in Napier.
While that shows how much he will be missed, his side is well-stocked at halfback, with highly-promising Highlanders youngster Folau Fakatava set to be challenged by former Otago representative Connor McLeod in the battle for a starting spot.
North Harbour
Another who didn’t manage to taste success while on provincial duty, Karl Tu’inukuafe leaves North Harbour with a few capable replacements ready to take his place in the loosehead prop position.
The next in line appears to be Teague McElroy, who started on the bench in the two games that Tu’inukuafe started, but with plenty of experience at Super Rugby level and in England, Nic Mayhew stands as a firm challenger for a starting role.
Northland
While he appeared for Northland in their first-up loss to Manawatu, injury robbed Jack Goodhue of a second outing against Tasman over the weekend.
Based on how the Taniwha lined up for that clash, it looks as though Tamati Tua is the prime candidate to replace the All Blacks midfielder and partner up with Rene Ranger.
Comments on RugbyPass
Oh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
2 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
2 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
7 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
26 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to comments