'It certainly weighed on our minds': Key All Blacks selections explained
While the All Blacks squad named to play the Springboks shouldn’t have too many fans raising their eyebrows, with the strongest XV mostly telegraphed at this stage, head coach Ian Foster has acknowledged that there were some very tough selection calls ahead of this weekend’s match.
Just seven of the run-on side from last Saturday’s win over the Pumas have been retained for the 100th clash with the Springboks, with a number of experienced operators returning to the fold in crucial positions.
The likes of junior All Blacks Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tyrel Lomax, Tupou Vaa’i and Quinn Tupaea have made way for their senior counterparts, with Codie Taylor, Nepo Laulala, Scott Barrett and David Havili taking their place in the starting line-up, while even the well-travelled Patrick Tuipulotu and Damian McKenzie have had to cede their positions to former World Rugby Players of the Year, Brodie Retallick and Beauden Barrett.
None of the players that have dropped out of the starting team, or the match-day 23 altogether, are out of form, however, making picking the side especially tough for the selectors.
“There were a number of hard decisions, basically because we’ve got a squad that’s actually playing really well, training really well at the moment and when people have been given an opportunity, they’ve taken it,” said Foster after naming the side to take on South Africa.
“There’s a lot of competition across the board but the main thing for me is we’re all working together for one purpose. There’s a sense of unity around the group and those that aren’t playing are [supporting the starters] to get what they need.”
Perhaps the toughest calls came at halfback and in the outside backs, with TJ Perenara winning the No 9 jersey ahead of Brad Weber and Sevu Reece losing out to George Bridge and Will Jordan on the wings.
“I thought his last two tests have been high quality,” said Foster of Perenara. “He went away [to Japan] and we gave him a focus. He’s come back and he’s really on top of his game at the moment.
“He’s played well. I know we’ve had a bit of front-foot ball that’s enabled him to operate but he’s been uncomplicated, he’s been quick and you couple that with his experience and some of his decision-making, we’ve been delighted with his form.
“Like I said after the Perth test, Brad’s playing really, really well too so we’ve got the sort of choice that we want to have at the moment.”
Baseball has the Yankees and Red Sox, Football has Barcelona and Real Madrid, Liverpool and Manchester United. Rugby has the #AllBlacks and the #Springboks. #NZLvRSA
?? Tony Johnsonhttps://t.co/eqv8fWMR8B
— The XV Rugby (@TheXV) September 22, 2021
With the Springboks expected to bombard the All Blacks with high balls, the added height that Bridge and Jordan have to call upon played a key role in their selections.
“[It was a ] tough decision on Sevu particularly because he’s played really, really well,” Foster acknowledged. “We probably felt that aerially, the other two were slightly ahead in terms of being a bit taller and we are expecting a bit of the aerial battle so probably came down to that sort of small margin – but that’s not to say that Sevu’s not good in that space either. So tough decision that one.”
Injuries have also continued to play their part, with Anton Lienert-Brown and Dalton Papalii, two men who have featured in the All Blacks’ ‘first XV’ this year, still not quite ready for selection.
“Anton, again, is very, very close – probably at about 90 per cent,” said Foster. “But it wasn’t close enough for us.
“Dalton’s the same, with a high hamstring sort of strain, so they’re both in the same category and just missed out by a matter of days, I like to think.
“We had Hoskins, who took a couple of heavy knocks on his leg and he was very slow to train at the start of the week. He’s come back well now but they were the main two that were out with injuries. The other one is Angus Ta’avao, who’s got a calf strain from the start of the week.”
While form was understandably the biggest factor in picking the team, Foster also suggested that, where possible, the selectors may have favoured men who’d had experience fronting up to South African sides in the past.
With the Springboks not playing test rugby last year and the New Zealand Super Rugby franchises only having limited exposure to their South African counterparts in the early stages of 2020, many of Foster’s current charges haven’t played much rugby against the men from the Republic. In fact, eight players named to start against the Springboks will be making their debuts against the South African test side.
As such, it shouldn’t come as any surprise to see the likes of Karl Tu’inukuafe, Patrick Tuipulotu and Ofa Tuungafasi picked ahead of less experienced but perhaps more in-form options such as George Bower, Tupou Vaa’i and Tyrel Lomax.
“I think it certainly weighed on our minds, particularly with a number of players in the last two years hadn’t actually played South Africa and the fact we’ve got two in a row against them,” Foster said.
“When we look at form and we look at the things we need to do on the game and how we need to counter them, that’s the number one criteria but certainly the players’ experience to deal with what will be a big occasion is another one.
“The likes of George [Bower] and Tupou [Vaa’i] have already played a few big tests in their very short careers and showed that they can deal with that as well so we’re pleased that we’re building enough experience in this group slowly that that doesn’t become a factor at selection time.”
The All Blacks kick off their 100th match with the Springboks at 5:05pm AEST on Saturday evening.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
34 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
34 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments