Ian Foster explains how he picked his All Black midfielders and why he called up Quinn Tupaea
Ian Foster has highlighted the midfield as the toughest area to pick of his 2021 All Blacks squad, as he tries to find the right combination to anchor down the key positions.
After Jack Goodhue was ruled out for the season due to an ACL injury and Ngani Laumape signed with French club Stade Francais, the available options were getting thin.
Adding salt to the wound was surgery for the most experienced midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown, which will see him miss several weeks as he recovers.
Foster’s first-choice duo of Goodhue and Lienert-Brown from last year will not be seen together for some time, opening the door for some new combinations to be tried.
“I think we flagged early that we probably were putting a microscope over our midfield. It was probably number one,” Foster told media at the All Blacks squad announcement.
“Jack’s injury on top of that and Ngani leaving going overseas has created a few opportunities in that space, and so that’s probably where we spent the most time.”
Foster and his staff selected Braydon Ennor, Rieko Ioane, David Havili, Lienert-Brown and uncapped Chiefs youngster Quinn Tupaea as the five midfielders heading into July’s tests against Fiji and Tonga.
Crusaders second-five Havili was one player Foster singled out as offering something different to the types of No 12s the All Blacks have used in the past, giving the team potentially a new style.
“We are pretty excited, we’ve got a couple of different styles and different options there,” Foster said
“Particularly at 12, is an area where we haven’t had a lot of depth, so I think David Havili’s progress this year has been great. He’s a different style 12 than perhaps what we’ve had before.
The only other out-and-out second-five in the squad is Tupaea, who improved this year in Super Rugby after making the switch one position inside after originally being used at centre by the Chiefs.
Foster said his transition to 12 has been “positive”, with his confidence growing as a result.
“We’ve also been really impressed by Quinn Tupaea, a young man who loves playing 12, runs hard, tackles well and will be a great learning experience for him.
“He played centre last year and probably struggled a little bit defensively in that role, but centre is not an easy one to learn when you are a young person. I think the move into 12 with Anton playing 13 was a positive one for him.
“We saw him get his hands on the ball a lot and grow his confidence defensively, so it’s an exciting time, he got named in the Maori All Blacks on Friday and named in the All Blacks on Monday. Not a bad few days.”
Foster admitted that the injury curse had played a part in Tupaea’s selection, with news of Lienert-Brown’s injury opening the door for his Chiefs teammate to get the call-up.
“That’s been part of it. Clayton [McMillan, Chiefs interim head coach], with the Maori All Blacks, we’ve been talking for a number of weeks about how we connect the teams because they’ve had to name their team first.
“We decided to do it this way, and then when Anton’s injury came in we made a decision to put Quinn in there, so he will be leaving that environment and coming to join ours.”
Comments on RugbyPass
$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
2 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!
1 Go to commentsGood article, I learnt quite a lot. A big sliding door moment was in the mid 00s when they rejected Steve Anderson's long term transformation and he wrote Ireland's strategy instead.
2 Go to commentsHi Dr Nick! I'm worried that I've started to enjoy watching England and have actually wanted them to win their last two games. What would you prescribe? On a more serious note, I've noticed that the standard of play in March is often better than early February. Do you think this is because of the weather or because the players have been together for longer?
10 Go to commentsMy question in all this brett is who is going to wear the consequences of these actions? Surely just getting the sack isn’t sufficient? A teenager working the till at woolies would probably get taken to court if they took $20 out of the till. You mean to tell me that someone can spend $2.6 million and get away with it? Where was it spent? What companies/people were the beneficiaries etc? How is it just being talked about as an ‘oopsie’ and we all just move on and not a matter of the court for gross negligence, fraud, take your pick…
18 Go to commentslove Manu too but England have relied on him coming back from injury for far too long and not sorted the position with someone else long term . It will be a blessing he has gone . Huge shame he was so injury prone . God speed Manu .
3 Go to commentsI agree with Ben Smith about Brett Cameron. The No. 6 position has to be a monster and a genuine lineout option, like Ollivon, Lawes (now Chessum), Du Toit, etc. The only player who fits that bill right now is Scott Barrett. A fit and fizzing Tuipolotu together with one of the young towers, Sam Darry or Josh Lord, would give Razor the freedom to play Barret at 6.
16 Go to commentsOutstanding article, Graham. Agree with all of it. And enjoy the style of writing too (particularly Grand Slap!).
2 Go to commentsI wouldn't pay a cent for that loafer. He just stands around, waiting for play to come his way. He won't make the Wallabies.
2 Go to commentsGood bit of te reo maori Nic. Or is that Niko or Nikora? On the theme of trees the Oaks v Totara. Game plan would be key. I have one but it would cost you.
10 Go to comments> Shaun Edwards’ You should not have to score 30 points to win a game, as exciting as it is. This statement was surprising to me. It is nonsensical .I guess it is a defence coach speaking. But head coach, defence and attacking coaches all work together. They are inseparable. You score more than the opposition to win. It only needs to be one score. You score whatever the game demands, whatever the opposition demand. You defend whatever it takes. The attack coach needs to be able to clock up 30pts if need be.
10 Go to commentsWho’d have thought, not having Farrell & Youngs kicking the ball at every possible opportunity and playing flat and allowing your centres to run and pass would pay off? No one could possibly have seen this coming. FML. It took a LONG time coming but at least that time has finally come. England need to find a backup to Lawrence. Freeman is the best candidate for me, I see no reason why he can't play 12. He's big, strong, fast and has great hands.
10 Go to commentsLove Manu but he's not the player he was and I imagine Bayonne have paid too much money for him.
3 Go to commentsNew Zealand have not beaten England since 2018 and even that was a pretty close shave.
1 Go to comments“a renewed focus on Scottish-qualified players” Scottish-qualified is another way of saying English. England has development more players for the Scotland national Rugby team in the last 4 years, than Scotland has.
2 Go to commentsThis sounds a lot like the old Welsh rugby proverb “Wales never lose. Other teams just score more points.”
5 Go to commentsFinally,at last, Borthwick has done what the whole of England have been crying out for. Ditch the kick chase and let the players have freedom to attack and run with the ball. It was great to see. Ford played really well and for the first time in ages was 5 yards closer to the gainline which then allowed a more attacking position . Pity it has taken 90 odd caps to do so. However, this has to continue and not be a false dawn . One issue. Marcus. With Ford having one really good game in 5 ,is he the answer long term . Smith puts bums on seats and is terrific to watch . How can you leave him out before he departs for France in disillusion . England are in danger of Simmons , Alex Goode , Cipriani , Mercer and now Smith being unable to get a selection ahead of “favourites” of the management regardless of form . Great to see England play so well .
2 Go to commentsCockerill was an abrasive player in the mould of a Georgian front rower who will have the respect of that pack. Looking forward to seeing what he can do with this exciting team, hopefully they can send a message to unions like Wales that money alone doesn't buy you wins.
2 Go to commentsI like the look of those July matches. Hopefully they'll get some good tests in November too.
2 Go to commentsThis is a poor article, essentially just trolling six nations teams
22 Go to comments