Jason Ryan: All Blacks selectors feeling RGR pinch ahead of third Test

The marathon-like nature of the Greatest Rivalry tour is starting to take its toll after two demanding Test matches in Johannesburg and Cape Town, with All Blacks coaches pondering selection changes for the third Test of the series.

160 tense minutes of rugby against South Africa in consecutive weeks is inevitably taxing, and while New Zealand came through their latest run, a 33-26 loss at DHL Stadium, unscathed on the injury front, word from inside the camp is that they see value in bringing fresh bodies in for the next contest.

Seven All Blacks have played all 160 minutes across the two opening Tests of the series, and five more doubled down by playing the Lions on Tuesday before coming off the bench in Saturday’s showdown.

All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan, who is not a selector for the team, was pleased to put the midweek games behind him and have his full squad together for a more typical week of preparation ahead of the coming Soweto Test.

“I think that the next couple of days we’ll need to get the boys really, really freshened up, and how we manage this week will be important, especially the start of the week,” he told reporters in Cape Town. “We’ll give the boys a bit of a reset day today. It’s been full-on rugby, but that’s touring, right? That’s all part of it. That’s why we’re here, I guess.

“But we’ve got to make sure that their batteries are full at the end of the week. I don’t think we need to concentrate on getting any fitter or stronger as such this time of the tour. We’ve just got to keep them mentally sharp and physically ready.

“I still think it’s a balance of getting the edge and good physical training in the back end of the week. I think it’s just a matter of the boys just getting their heads out of the game for a good day today, and keep our strat meetings a little bit later after dinner and that sort of thing.”

Once the team reconvenes, they’ll confront the selection race. The 44-man squad has emerged from the opening six games of the tour battered and bruised, with more than a dozen injuries and illnesses to contend with, all presenting opportunities to the next man in the Kiwi chain.

“I think if there’s a couple of things that this tour has brought, it has brought competition,” Ryan said. “I think there’s genuine competition in the squad right across the park. It’s pretty exciting, and that’s the way you want it.

“There’s been some good trainings that have had a bit of edge and some real competing aspects to it, which is what you want from the All Blacks. So I think selectors have got a tough job this week, which is good.”

Narrowing his focus to exactly who could be cycled out of the matchday 23, Ryan said the most value could be found in refreshing the players who have carried the heaviest workloads so far on tour, as well as those battling ailments.

“I think that we’ll have a look at some minutes of some players that have played two 80s in a row. That would be the first few that you would look at, and it could be an opportunity to change and get some fresh legs on.

“Lukey Jacobson had a bit of flu last night, and Peter Lakai coming on was exceptional. So, all those sorts of things add to how you can shift momentum and stay fresh.”

The All Blacks who have played every minute of the two opening Tests are: Fabian Holland, Tupou Vaa’i, Ardie Savea, Ruben Love, Jordie Barrett, Will Jordan and Damian McKenzie.