‘Don’t think we can beat South Africa’: Why the All Blacks need to be ‘courageous’
With the end of this year’s Super Rugby Pacific campaign in sight, rugby fans and pundits in the southern hemisphere have already begun to shift their focus onto this year’s World Cup.
This year, there have been countless debates by supporters, journalists and retired greats surrounding the potential selection dilemmas awaiting the traditional heavyweights of the sport.
Uncapped bolters including Shaun Stevenson and Cam Roigard have certainly given All Blacks coach Ian Foster something to think about, and they aren’t the only ones either.
Blue winger Mark Telea, who debuted for the All Blacks during last year’s end-of-season tour, has timed his World Cup run to perfection.
With the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs less than a fortnight away, Telea stole the show in a quasi-playoff clash against the high flying Hurricanes at Eden Park.
Telea showcased his elite athleticism and strength during a four-try blitz in round 14, which saw the 26-year-old the Power Player of the Weekend on Sky Sport NZ’s The Breakdown.
Considering their depth in the outside backs, attempting to pick the All Blacks’ two wingers and a fullback may be harder than finding a needle in a haystack – but three legends gave it a go.
And their praise for Telea was unanimous.
Retired greatest Mils Muliaina, Jeff Wilson and Sir John Kirwan would all pick the Blues speedster on the right wing for the All Blacks.
“Pretty tough, pretty tough positions to pick,” Muliaina said on The Breakdown.
“I’d still love to see Beauden out there at fullback. I think Jordan, regardless of where his name goes on first, but I’d love to see Beauden Barrett out the back, Telea on the other wing.
“I’ve got no doubt we’ve got guys who are world beaters, it’s just how we’re going to play… I’ve got no doubt in my mind that we’ve got the talent, it’s just how are we going to play this game?”
As the countdown to the sport’s most prestigious event continues to tick by, anyone and everyone within the rugby community believes they have the answer to some possible problems.
For ultimately, this is it – four years of patience and devotion comes down to this one event. The hopes and dreams of rugby-mad nations will either be crushed or fulfilled in France.
New Zealand Rugby fans are more than passionate about the 15-player game, and they’ll be desperate to see the All Blacks reclaim ‘world champion’ status in France.
But they have some great to make up.
The All Blacks are not the favourites for to win the tournament for a reason. They were beaten by Ireland, South Africa and Argentina last year, and just snuck by the Wallabies in Melbourne.
Believing the All Blacks can’t win the World Cup if they “try and defend’ their way to the title, former Test winger Jeff Wilson has explained why he thinks the All Blacks need to be “courageous.”
“I don’t think we can beat South Africa at their game, we can’t beat Ireland the way that they play. We don’t play like other sides, we don’t play like France. We need to have our own style,” Wilson said.
“I just look at the group go, ‘I think we’ve got to be courageous, we’ve got to have the ability and willingness to play with the ball.’
“We’ve got to get the ball into the hands of the guys who can break open a game, who can keep the ball alive and you give them a license to play, the freedom to play.
“If we do that we’ll maximise our talent and take it away from the opposition.
“If we try and defend our way to a Rugby World Cup, I don’t think we win.”
The All Blacks can select a maximum of 33-player for this year’s Rugby World Cup, but will be able to select a slightly larger squad for The Rugby Championship.
Coach Ian Foster will be able to name 36-players to take on Argentina, South Africa and the Wallabies – which, in theory, could include a handful of outside backs.
“Barrett, Jordan and Telea at the moment on form,” Kirwan added.
“You probably put Jordan there because Barrett is not playing, you might add someone else in there – Fainga’anuku you probably can’t go past at the moment.
“They’re good problems to have.”
The All Blacks begin their World Cup campaign against hosts France in Paris in early September.
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to comments