'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.”
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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
I still see nothing in Sotutus play that hes changed his upright running style that failed so many times against decent international defences like the french. Other than that… Iose? Well you have covered his limitations well. If Sititi had been playing the the season… Jacobson? Grace?…Neither shout pick me. So Ardie it is.
1 Go to commentsThere isn’t one element you mentioned there that every top class or successful team gets up to. The great All blacks sides used to play on the ‘fringes or edge’ but it was essentially saying they were doing something illegal or borderline to gain dominance. The fine margins at the top are minute between the top sides. La Rochelle, the crusaders, Saracens, Toulon etc etc…..have all been accused. Get over it, the comment comes across as salty and naive. Northampton as well as they played to get back into the match were thoroughly beaten and controlled for 60 minutes and Leinster have only themselves to blame for kicking it away and hence losing control of the match and being nearly the architects of their own downfall.
2 Go to commentsThere is some talent coming thru thats for sure. The 10 looks special to me. Rico Simpson is a name to look for in the future.
1 Go to commentsI think this quiet honestly is just an innocent misunderstanding by someone who is pig sh*t stupid. Eben is a fine player but by christ, if he can’t understand or get what the Irish players were trying to say to him after the match…..well i hope he has someone looking after his finances, career and is reading the fine print for him, cause life after rugby may be quite difficult for the vacuous echo chamber.
21 Go to commentsIt could be Doris' day!
3 Go to commentsThe whole thing has blown up because Eben’s words have clearly struck a nerve in Ireland. Otherwise they would just laugh it off. I think some former Irish players, commentators and some Irish fans know deep down this Ireland team started to believe its own press and that a certain amount of arrogance had started to creep in during the World Cup. The topic was actually brought up by Irish pundits on Off the Ball recently. It’s fine to be arrogant if you can back it up. Ireland didn’t.
21 Go to comments‘The Irish are good people'. Why is Goode praising a people who hate his own? Wet wipe.
21 Go to commentsLa mejor final que se puede ver en el emisferio norte.
1 Go to commentsA lot of cope from south africans in the comments. Etzebeth is a liar and a hypocrite; you don’t have to defend him!
21 Go to commentsHe got big and really slow for a flyhalf…not sure he’s relevant in a bok conversation anymore
4 Go to commentsBest tourney team vs best team in the regular season for 3 games in RSA - talk is cheap, let’s see what’s what on the tour
21 Go to commentsOne overlooked statistic from their 2016 winning season is the Huricanes are still the only team in Super rugby history not to concede a try during the playoff rounds.
4 Go to commentsThanks for the article, Nick. The Nienaber blitz D does ask a lot of its scrumhalf. I have been watching JGP on D and he often looks like he has mastered what Nienaber asks for better than Faf de Klerk and Cobus Reinach! 🤣 Impressive season by JGP if I must make an understatement.
22 Go to commentsOkay last one. I promise. I think it’s despicable for Andy Goode to suggest that Eben can’t count to 12. To be fair he only had to count to 8 - the number of Irishmen who DIDN’T say that. Less the 3 kiwis of course. 23 - 12 - 3 = 8. See Joe. I can do maffs.
21 Go to commentsCheers, Nick! How do you see the Reds’ Jock Campbell’s play this year? Not as strong a carrier as Andrew Kellaway or Tom Wright, but does avoid errors. Do you see Joe Schmidt as wanting safety first at 15 or a try-assisting counterattacker?
91 Go to commentsI’m sure this was all just a big misunderstanding. Irishmen and Afrikaaners conversing in a noisey stadium. Not easy to get the right messages across. A minefield.
21 Go to commentsSay what you will about Andy Goode. But he is right about one thing… I’m not sure what that one thing is exactly… but I’m willing to hear him out.
21 Go to commentsAnother article to bait and trigger Irish fans. This must stop.
21 Go to commentsHi Nick. Thanks for your +++ ongoing analysis. Re Vunivalu, He’s been benched recently and it will be interesting to see what Kiss does with him as we enter the backend of SRP. I’m still not sold.
91 Go to commentsIn the fine tradition of Irish rugby, Leinster cheat well and for some reason only known to whoever referees them, they are allowed to get away with it every single game. If teams have not got the physicality up front to stop them getting the ball, they will win every single game. They take out players beyond the ruck and often hold them on the ground. Those that are beyond the ruck and therefore offside, hover there to cause distraction but also to join the next ruck from the side thereby stopping the jackal. The lineout prior to the second try on Saturday. 3 Leinster players left the lineout before the ball was thrown and were driving the maul as soon as the player hit the ground and thereby getting that valuable momentum. They scrummage illegally, with the looshead turning in to stop the opposing tighthead from pushing straight and making it uncomfortable for the hooker. The tighthead takes a step and tries to get his opposite loosehead to drop the bind. Flankers often ‘move up’ and actually bind on the prop and not remain bound to the second row. It does cause chaos and is done quickly and efficiently so that referees are blinded by the illegal tactics. I am surprised opposition coaches when they meet referees before games don’t mention it. I am also surprised that they do not go to the referees group and ask them to look at the tactics used and referee them properly. If they are the better team and win, fair play but a lot of their momentum is gained illegally and therefore it is not a level playing field.
2 Go to comments