'Should be the starting seven': The player putting pressure on Sam Cane
Flanker Dalton Papali’i did the All Blacks’ famous No. 7 jersey justice with his performance against Wales, after Sam Cane was ruled out for the remainder of the tour.
Papali’i was given an opportunity to start creating “some headaches” before next year’s World Cup, as he looks to stake his claim for regular minutes in the black jersey.
But with opportunity comes pressure within the All Blacks environment, and the 25-year-old more than lived up to expectations with a promising display.
While he stood out anyway with his bleached hair, Papali’i was also in the thick of the action early-on in the Test at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.
Papali’i made an impressive 20 metre burst through the heart of the Welsh defence and into their 22, which ultimately paved the way for Codie Taylor’s first try.
The 25-year-old was constantly sniping around the breakdown as well, causing havoc for the Welsh, and also made his mark on defence – making a team-high tackles.
Speaking on The Breakdown, former Black Fern Chelsea Semple said Papali’i “should be the starting seven” for the All Blacks with Sam Cane out.
“It’s his opportunity and I think with Sam (Cane) being at home, Dalton is gonna wanna take this by the neck,” Semple said on The Breakdown.
“I think he should be the starting seven and I think he deserves this opportunity, and he’s going to want to create some headaches heading into the World Cup next year.
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“When you’ve got Sam coming back from injury, a few other sevens putting their hand up and they will continue to put their hand up in Super Rugby as well.
“Dalton knows if he puts his hand up in these next few games on this tour, he’s going to put Fozzie in a bit of a selection tiff with his captain coming back.
“Dalton deserves a start and he needs more game time, he hasn’t had a lot of game time in the All Blacks, so this is the perfect opportunity.”
Running out alongside an exciting back row trio which included Shannon Frizell and Ardie Savea, Papali’i was exactly what the All Blacks needed on Sunday morning (NZT).
“He’s just been absolutely outstanding and he’s playing like someone who has been starved of game time in that black jersey and he’s really relishing in being given this opportunity,” Samoan international Taylah Johnson said earlier.
“He makes his tackles, he contests at the rugby time, but he’s also really explosive on attack and he offers something different.
“He’s really stamping his mark in that seven jersey, but also all the loose forwards played really well last night.
“It’s going to be a really tough battle. We look ahead to next year and this is where guys really need to stamp their mark sand say ‘you need to look at me for that World Cup squad.’”
Next up for the All Blacks is a crunch clash with Scotland at Murrayfield, before an international blockbuster with England Twickenham.
Comments on RugbyPass
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments