Picking an All Blacks squad at the halfway point of Super Rugby Aotearoa
After five rounds of action, we have arrived at the halfway point of the second edition of Super Rugby Aotearoa.
The story remains very much the same as last year from the Crusaders’ point of view – another year, another trophy that appears more and more certain to be stowed away at the Christchurch headquarters for another year as each week passes.
Led by the seemingly unconquerable Scott Robertson, the reigning champions look destined to claim their fifth consecutive championship after they dismantled each franchise without much of a challenge in the opening half of the season.
Whether anyone can shock the Crusaders in the grand final in over a month’s time remains to be seen, but the tussle for a place in New Zealand’s biggest domestic match of the season should provide plenty of incentive for players to step up and perform.
Do that, and they could be rewarded with an All Blacks jersey should the scheduled July tests against Italy and Fiji take place as planned, although some have already put their hands up for selection in Ian Foster’s first-up squad of the year.
While there could still yet be a whole Trans-Tasman competition to take place between now and that announcement, it feels like the halfway stage of the Aotearoa tournament is an appropriate time to assess who is in the running to make the cut.
Assuming Foster’s first squad of 2021 will consist of 35 players, as it did when he named his first-ever roster last year, the make-up of the side is likely to stay the same, meaning six props should be included.
Of the six that were named last year, Joe Moody, Ofa Tuungafasi, Nepo Laulala, Karl Tu’inukuafe and Alex Hodgman have all done little to harm their chances of retaining their places in the national camp.
Some ill-discipline on Moody’s and Tuungafasi’s part aside, all five have continued their good form from last season into this year and, provided nothing disastrous happens over the coming weeks and months, should slot back into Foster’s playing group.
Hurricanes prop Tyrel Lomax was the other member of that sextet, but he may be feeling the pressure from Crusaders late bloomer George Bower.
The uncapped 28-year-old is capable of playing either side of the scrum and was a shock call-up to the All Blacks squad to travel with the side to Australia for last year’s Tri-Nations.
Although he didn’t take to the field during his time on the other side of the Tasman, Bower’s inclusion in the touring party is indicative of where he stands in the national pecking order.
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Even before his rapid rise to the national squad, Bower had been a regular inclusion in the reigning champions’ match day teams, and that can be attributed to his versatility, strong scrummaging and willingness to get involved across the park.
Tipping the scales at 118kg after adding an extra 7kg to his frame over the off-season, Bower looks ready for test rugby, even if he struggles to start for the Crusaders.
Expect the status quo to be retained in the middle of the front row as New Zealand’s hooker contingent is likely to again be made up of Codie Taylor, Dane Coles and Asafo Aumua.
Taylor has arguably been the leading light of Super Rugby Aotearoa this season and may well have done enough to reclaim the national No 2 jersey off of Coles, who has only just returned from injury and has hinted at retiring at the end of this year.
Aumua, meanwhile, hasn’t been sighted since injuring his shoulder against the Crusaders in round two, but has been cleared of any serious damage, so should be free to return to action shortly.
His explosive ball-running power will be a valued asset over the coming years, especially if Coles is serious about hanging up the boots for good.
The return of Brodie Retallick from his 18-month sabbatical in Japan once his commitments with Top League side Kobelco have been completed will be the biggest eye-catcher in the second row cohort.
The 29-year-old hasn’t played for the All Blacks since departing for the Steelers following the 2019 World Cup but has been in fine form for his current side.
According to former All Blacks coach and current Kobelco Steelers director of rugby Wayne Smith, Retallick has been “magnificent” in Japan since shredding down to 117kg in order to cope with the high-tempo style of the Top League.
Foster might want the 81-test international to bulk back up to prepare for the rigours of test rugby, but Kiwi fans can rest easy knowing Retallick hasn’t lost his world-class touch during his sojourn abroad.
Crusaders boss Scott Robertson has responded to speculation linking his name to the England head coach role as he weighs up his future amid NZR’s private equity deal with Silver Lake.https://t.co/e2KpXCECkx
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Upon his arrival back in New Zealand, Retallick is in line to join a solid nucleus of locks consisting of Crusaders pair Sam Whitelock and Scott Barrett, as well as Blues skipper Patrick Tuipulotu.
That quartet stands as the most established second rowers in the country, but there is a tier of promising locks – Tupou Vaa’i, Quinten Strange, Mitchell Dunshea and Pari Pari Parkinson – nipping away at their heels who could be involved at some stage.
As was the case last year, captain Sam Cane and Ardie Savea are non-negotiable selections in the loose forwards, leaving room for five other players to accompany them in the back row.
Of those who were picked up by Foster last year, Highlanders dynamo Shannon Frizell and Blues behemoth Akira Ioane have stood out strongly.
Both players are as devastating as each other with ball in hand and can offer themselves as options at the lineout, while Ioane has continued his outstanding developments from last year as a defensive workhorse.
It’s safe to say, then, that those two lead the charge for the starting blindside flanker spot, while Dalton Papalii’s stature as the next cab off the rank behind Cane and Savea has been reinforced following some awe-inspiring displays for the Blues.
Often overlooked as a credible candidate to start for the national side, the 23-year-old’s talents warrant more than the four test caps he has attained since his international debut in 2018.
The power, energy and commitment the versatile back rower brings to each game he plays in is immense, and you only have to look to last week’s match against the Chiefs, where he registered a round-high 20 tackles, as evidence of his work rate.
One would hope that, with a full test calendar scheduled for this year, Papalii gets the game time he deserves in the black jersey.
His Blues teammate Hoskins Sotutu, meanwhile, is unlikely to miss out as he continues to impress after bursting onto the scene last year, while the resurgence of injury-plagued Chiefs star Luke Jacobson could result in a return to the national camp.
Week after week, we’re seeing mammoth performances across the loose forward trios of #SuperRugbyAotearoa. Who will have the inside running for black jerseys come season’s end? #AllBlackshttps://t.co/NKI9PUYJEG
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The two-test 24-year-old missed out on inclusion in the All Blacks entirely last year as he battled through the injury woes that cruelly denied him a place at the World Cup, but he has returned with a vengeance in 2021.
Jacobson has been everywhere for the Chiefs this season as he’s dominated proceedings from the No 8 jersey, although he’s equally adept at making a nuisance of himself with and without the ball, as well as at the breakdown, from either flanker position.
That could spell bad news from one-test utility forward Cullen Grace, who has been solid but unspectacular for the Crusaders, while Hurricanes tearaway Du’Plessis Kirifi has some work to do if he’s to surpass the likes of Cane, Savea and Papalii.
Highlanders No 8 Marino Mikaele-Tu’u and Chiefs flanker Lachlan Boshier, meanwhile, are yet to provide the same sort of threats we saw from them last year, and Liam Squire’s bid for an All Blacks comeback has been thwarted by a season-ending injury.
The only certainty to make the cut at halfback, at this stage of the season, is record-breaking Highlanders No 9 Aaron Smith, but who accompanies him as the other two scrumhalves will be an interesting point of debate.
TJ Perenara, who is currently on sabbatical in Japan with NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes, and Chiefs co-captain Brad Weber are the incumbents, but both of their places in the side have come under threat from Smith’s understudy, Folau Fakatava.
The Highlanders’ retention of the 21-year-old, a combative halfback who is uncompromising on defence and possesses a strong running game, was perceived to be just as significant the re-signing of Smith, who also re-committed through until 2023.
That’s how highly-regarded Fakatava is, so it must be tempting to thrust him into the national set-up following a string of quality performances for the Highlanders, both from off the bench and from the starting side.
The question around Fakatava’s inclusion in the All Blacks squad, however, is whose place does he take out of Perenara’s or Weber’s?
Weber has been scintillating for the Waikato side since taking on a leadership role alongside Cane at the beginning of the campaign, while Perenara has been hugely influential in Japan, but is it enough to keep his place in the All Blacks?
Tony Brown says he is “disappointed” to have dropped star playmaker Josh Ioane and five other players from this week’s side to face the Crusaders due to a protocol breach. #SuperRugbyAotearoa #CRUvHIG https://t.co/jgc6JtmDaU
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You’d have to think so, especially given the he has 69 tests to his name, making him one of the most experienced players in an All Blacks squad that is currently going through something of rebuilding phase.
It would be exceptionally harsh, though, to vacate Weber’s place in the national set-up given how admirably he has stepped up for the Chiefs.
So, unless Foster is willing to expand his squad and take on four halfbacks, Fakatava may have to wait for an injury or a drop in form from one of his rivals before he gets the call-up, or he could come onboard in a non-playing capacity as an apprentice.
Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo’unga, meanwhile, look set to remain unchallenged as New Zealand’s top first-fives, with Highlanders pivot Josh Ioane hardly doing himself any favours by getting himself in trouble with his off-field antics.
His franchise teammate Mitch Hunt could use Ioane’s suspension from the Highlanders as a chance to prove his worth as a test-worthy No 10, while Blues playmaker Otere Black has starred via his ability to make those outside of him shine.
The midfield contingent is bound to look similar to last year’s group, with Anton Lienert-Brown, Jack Goodhue and Rieko Ioane all set for inclusion yet again.
The latter has been particularly dynamic for the Blues thus far this season, but perhaps the biggest improvement has come from Ngani Laumape.
After discounting him from making the All Blacks squad in last year’s edition of this piece, the blockbusting second-five made it known he wasn’t happy with being labelled as “one-dimensional” in his infamous post-match interview after the Hurricanes beat the Blues in Wellington before reiterating that sentiment on the What A Lad podcast.
In that match, he put on a clinic as he flattened and ran around the flailing defensive efforts of Beauden Barrett before putting on another outstanding performance against the Crusaders.
A broken forearm denied him selection in Foster’s initial squad and limited him to just one outing in the black jersey, but he has come back into Super Rugby Aotearoa intent on proving his value as a multi-faceted threat.
New Zealand are looking to co-host this year’s Rugby Championship with a southern hemisphere partner, but South Africa have ruled themselves out. https://t.co/O1yeMrPw1M
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Renowned for his hard-nosed running power, Laumape has shown touches of finesse throughout the opening half of the season, setting up tries from cross-field kicks and well-timed passes without losing his ball-carrying prowess.
That should give Foster plenty of reason to propel him back into All Blacks squad as Braydon Ennor continues to work his way back from a ruptured ACL and Peter Umaga-Jensen battles for a starting role at the Hurricanes.
As always, the make-up of the outside backs will hold plenty of intrigue given how well-stocked the All Blacks are in that department.
If any players can be locked in as certainties, then Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Damian McKenzie and Will Jordan can all be rest assured they should feature, provided there are no major hiccups on the horizon.
Barrett and McKenzie have been particularly outstanding, and the jostle for fullback spot will be very keenly watched given those two, Jordan, Beauden Barrett and David Havili all have cases for inclusion in that position.
As good as he is, Havili may not even make the squad, but not through any fault of his own.
His potential exclusion, unless he makes himself unmissable over the next few weeks, would be a result of the pure depth New Zealand has at fullback, and it may be that his best chance of selection will be as a midfielder, where he starts for the Crusaders.
Given Foster selected six outside backs last year, there should be room for two further players, one of which would have to be Sevu Reece, who continues to standout as one of the Crusaders’ most potent attacking weapons.
He could be joined by his uncapped franchise teammate Leicester Fainga’anuku, who has blossomed into a must-pick since taking the place of the injured George Bridge in the opening rounds of the season.
Standing at 1.88m and 109kg, the 21-year-old can also cover midfield and would give the All Blacks a secondary power wing option behind Caleb Clarke.
What a talent to bring back into the fold when you’re already on top of the world ? #SuperRugbyAotearoa #CRUvHILhttps://t.co/JTCghVJkd8
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 31, 2021
Fainga’anuku’s efforts for the Crusaders didn’t go unnoticed last year, as he earned selection in the South Island squad for the North vs South match, and if he can keep up this year’s good form, he might be in line to go one step further.
Keep an eye out for Bridge, though, who has been named to start in this weekend’s clash with the Highlanders in what will be his first competitive outing since last October.
Perform well from there on out, and Foster will have a tough selection dilemma to work through for the remainder of the Super Rugby season.
Possible 35-man All Blacks squad based on first half of Super Rugby Aotearoa
Props: George Bower, Alex Hodgman, Nepo Laulala, Joe Moody, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Ofa Tuungafasi
Hookers: Asafo Aumua, Dane Coles, Codie Taylor
Locks: Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Patrick Tuipulotu, Sam Whitelock
Loose Forwards: Sam Cane (c), Shannon Frizell, Akira Ioane, Luke Jacobson, Dalton Papalii, Ardie Savea, Hoskins Sotutu
Halfbacks: TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith, Brad Weber
First-Fives: Beauden Barrett, Richie Mo’unga
Midfielders: Jack Goodhue, Rieko Ioane, Anton Lienert-Brown, Ngani Laumape
Outside Backs: Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Will Jordan, Damian McKenzie, Sevu Reece
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The rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
76 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to comments