Luke Whitelock set to start for All Blacks
Luke Whitelock is set to start his first All Blacks match on home soil, while Karl Tuinukuafe shapes as the sole debutant in a ‘versatile’ first test team to face France at Eden Park. Scotty Stevenson takes a look at the All Blacks team list.
The All Blacks may be missing the experience of Sonny Bill Williams and Brodie Retallick for the first test match against the French at Eden Park, but all signs still point to the selection of a side that boasts formidable test match nous.
The biggest news in the forwards will be the naming of Luke Whitelock at number eight. Whitelock, who first played for the All Blacks against Japan in 2013, added a long-awaited second test cap in 2017 when he lined up against Wales in Cardiff. He also captained the midweek team in his only game for the All Blacks, against a French XV in Lyon during last year’s tour.
Whitelock’s inclusion in the starting lineup shows the All Blacks selectors still want specialists in the loose forward mix. Whitelock has been a defensive titan for the Highlanders this season, and has long been admired as a man who, game after game, churns through his tackle count. He remains firmly ensconced in the list of the top five tacklers in the Super Rugby competition, too. However there is more to his play than a set of teak-tough shoulders.
Whitelock’s biggest upside is his evolving attack game which has flourished this year under a fresh ball-running philosophy. While he may not be a camera-time highlights reel, Whitelock has developed an uncanny eye for a support line, and a safe pair of hands on both catch and pass. With Kieran Read still recuperating from hand surgery, the All Blacks have found in Whitelock a like-for-like replacement who is yet to reach full potential.
How Whitelock is deployed in this game will be interesting. Sam Cane is set to make his return to starting duties after almost a month out of action due to a stomach injury which flared up again during training last week, forcing his withdrawal from the Chiefs’ match against the Crusaders. A dominant tackler, and a key component of the All Blacks’ fringe defence, Cane does his work at close quarters. Does Whitelock assume some of that responsibility, freeing up Liam Squire to operate in more open space?
It is understood the All Blacks will look to implement a more streamlined attack pod pattern this weekend which will test the ball control and running games of all three loose forwards, but also place increased onus on the locks – captain Sam Whitelock and Scott Barrett. Barrett has certainly simplified his play over the last three weeks (perhaps, coincidentally, because of the All Blacks foundation camp preparations) and has shown increased grunt for the Crusaders. He will need to show plenty of that this weekend as he fills the boots of Brodie Rettalick who has been sidelined with a pectoral injury.
Owen Franks, Codie Taylor and Joe Moody will cap off an all-Crusaders starting front five, while the night will be special for Chiefs’ powerhouse scrummager Karl Tuinukuafe who looks set to make his All Blacks debut off the bench. Tu’inukuafe’s story is quite incredible: from a life-threatening 170 kilograms to Chiefs ring-in, to All Black in-waiting. He was under doctor’s orders to shed weight and get fit. No doctor would have imagined a patient taking that advice quite so seriously.
The All Blacks backline largely chooses itself. Aaron Smith and Beauden Barrett will combine in the halves while the midfield roles will be filled by the most experienced players available, Ryan Crotty and Anton Lienert-Brown. Waisake Naholo’s form for the Highlanders looks to have won him a starting place on the right wing, while Rieko Ioane’s party tricks have not cost him his favoured left wing spot.
Ben Smith had looked likely to be a chance on the right wing (and could still find himself there at some stage in the game) but is now favoured to start at fullback, leaving Jordie Barrett in a selectorial limbo given Damian McKenzie will be added to the bench as cover for both 10 and 15. With a five-three bench split the likely scenario, and with Perenara and McKenzie as good as inked in pen, the final back reserve will come down to a choice between a specialist midfielder – Jack Goodhue has proved adept at covering both 12 and 13 – and the versatility of Barrett who has slotted in the centres for the Hurricanes and has first class experience in the role.
Make no mistake, this is an All Blacks side that more than covers for its missing components, and one that will be expected to make a statement at Eden Park, regardless of the challenge offered by the French.
In other news, Scotty & Mils caught up with Leinster champ Isa Nacewa for a chat on The Short Ball:
Comments on RugbyPass
Did 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 commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to comments