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Midfield shake-up shows All Blacks still searching for perfect combination
Perhaps the biggest challenge that Ian Foster faces during his two years in charge of the All Blacks is finding the right midfield combination to carry the team through to the World Cup.
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It’s something that his predecessor, Steve Hansen, was never able to settle on following the departure of Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith after the 2015 World Cup.
Come the 2019 showpiece tournament, Anton Lienert-Brown and Jack Goodhue were selected in the centres for the big matches, including the lost semi-final, with Sonny Bill Williams and Ryan Crotty also in the squad but deemed surplus to the matchday 23.
While Lienert-Brown and Goodhue have many upsides to their games, at no stage did the combination ever convince as the obvious best option but when 2019 rolled around, Hansen had run out of time and went with what he considered the best possible partnership.
With Foster taking over as head coach in 2020, having served as an assistant under Hansen’s reign, one of his major priorities would have been to not suffer the same fate as his predecessor.
Injuries and the reduced number of matches last year made it difficult for Foster to nail down a combination in his first season in charge, however.
Just three partnerships were trialled: Goodhue and Lienert-Brown (with their roles reversed and Goodhue slotting in at No 12 and Lienert-Brown at No 13), Goodhue and Rieko Ioane, and Ngani Laumape and Lienert-Brown.
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Laumape is now plying his trade in France, while Goodhue has been sidelined for the entirety of the test calendar. As such, none of the three combos employed last season could be rolled out again in 2021.
That has seen new players brought into the environment, however.
Three players, David Havili, Braydon Ennor and Quinn Tupaea, who have amassed 15 starts between them this year, missed out on selection last season due to either injury, inexperience, or a combination of both.
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Havili and Lienert-Brown have been the first-choice partnership throughout the entirety of the season but with just two games left to play – two of the toughest challenges of the year, at that – Foster has decided to change things up and rolled with a Lienert-Brown/Ioane pairing.
Somehow, it’s the first time we’ve seen the two start a match together this year, with Ioane being employed exclusively on the wing when Lienert-Brown’s been selected in the starting line-up.
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It’s also the first time we’ll see Lienert-Brown in the No 12 jersey, despite playing five tests in his debut season in that position.
Earlier in the season, things were humming along nicely for the Havili/Lienert-Brown partnership, with the former looking as composed as could be in the black jersey, despite still being a relative newbie in the test arena.
The 26-year-old is one of the most skilful players in New Zealand and was able to utilise his full bag of tricks against Fiji and Australia but, as has become apparent since the Bledisloe series was wrapped up, the All Blacks are desperate for a bigger body in the midfield who can crash the ball up to set up phase-play.
Neither Havili nor Lienert-Brown have the bulk to be crash runners and while Tupaea loomed as a potential candidate to fill that role, the success of Ioane shifting into the centres late in the piece against Wales (couple with Tupaea’s less than exceptional performance against Italy last weekend) looks to have forced Foster’s hand.
But, at the end of the day, it’s still a relatively fresh combination and the question remains whether the All Blacks are actually any closer to unequivocally determining their first-choice midfield.
While the players may be taking each game as it comes, Foster and co have undoubtedly already put as much thought into which side they’ll field against France next weekend as they have the line-up for Ireland.
If Lienert-Brown and Ioane don’t fire on Saturday, do the selectors revert back to the Havili/Lienert-Brown combination? Or do they throw Tupaea into the mix? Maybe they’re really just waiting until Goodhue’s return next season – but then does he fill the No 12 or No 13 jersey, and who lines up as his partner?
Rieko Ioane’s selection alongside Anton Lienert-Brown in the midfield for the All Blacks’ clash with Ireland could be inspired, but it does continue to raise questions about the confidence that Ian Foster has in his current cohort of midfielders.
Comments on RugbyPass
Pretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
3 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
3 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
3 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to comments