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Has a superlative showing from Jamie Booth catapulted the halfback into the All Blacks selection frame?

By Tom Vinicombe
Jamie Booth. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

While the New Zealand Super Rugby sides are laden with talent and depth across the park and there should be no major issues recovering from the players lost overseas following last year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan, the one position that might be causing a few headaches for new All Blacks coach Ian Foster is halfback.

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Aaron Smith, TJ Perenara and Brad Weber travelled to Japan last year and while all three still look highly capable of performing on the highest stage, they’re all in the latter stages of their careers and may struggle to make it to the 2023 World Cup in France.

Pereanara, at 28-years-old, is the youngest of the trio. All three have been their respective side’s preferred starters in Super Rugby Aotearoa in 2020 while Finlay Christie has been the go-to man at the Blues since recovering from injury and Bryn Hall and Mitch Drummond have shared the duties at the Crusaders.

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After bursting on to the scene for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby 2019, the energetic flanker has caught the eye of rugby fans with his ability to get over the ball and handy support lines.

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After bursting on to the scene for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby 2019, the energetic flanker has caught the eye of rugby fans with his ability to get over the ball and handy support lines.

Hall has probably been the stand-out of the men who weren’t at the World Cup but he too is closer to 30 than 20.

That leaves Foster in the difficult position of quite probably having to bring a new halfback into the fold who isn’t starting at Super Rugby level.

One man who wouldn’t have been even in selection discussions prior to the season kicked off is new Hurricanes recruit Jamie Booth – who spent three seasons with three different Super Rugby sides before settling well into the Hurricanes this year.

Booth has had a massive impact off the Hurricanes’ bench throughout the Super Rugby Rugby Aotearoa season and was finally given the opportunity to start a match when his side travelled to Dunedin to take on the Highlanders on Saturday.

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He quickly set about his work, adding plenty of impetus and pace to the Hurricanes’ already dangerous attack.

The visitors’ first try of the night, scored by Vince Aso, was sparked by an exceptional run from Booth.

Time and time again throughout the first half, the Hurricanes made breaks into the Highlanders’ half – and Booth was always on hand to keep the motion flowing.

During the halftime break, SKY Sports pundits Israel Dagg and Joe Wheeler lavished praise on the scrumhalf.

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“[I’ve been ] very impressed with Jamie Booth,” said 2011 World Cup winner Israel Dagg.

“He’s been everywhere tonight and his support lines are probably what’s second to none. He’s always on the inside, he’s always covering his players. He’s testing the first and second defenders and he’s just Mr Fix-It and Mr Everywhere.

“He deserves an opportunity to get 80 minutes. He’s come on and done the job for the Hurricanes plenty of times and he’s doing well.”

2015 Super Rugby title winner Joe Wheeler agreed.

“This guy’s been into everything, he’s a real firey customer. Speed around the paddock. But I just love his work in his follow-up lines.”

By the end of the first half, Booth had clocked up 90 running metres, two broken tackles and two offloads.

While there’s still some uncertainty over whether the All Blacks will assemble at all this year, given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Booth’s latest performance for the Hurricanes will certainly have perked Foster’s interest and a successful Mitre 10 Cup season with Manawatu could springboard the halfback in the national equation.

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j
john 37 minutes ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

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A
Adrian 2 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

14 Go to comments
T
Trevor 5 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
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