Spare a thought for the unlucky All Blacks that missed selection
Saturday night’s clash between New Zealand and France will be the last chance for many All Blacks to take the field this season, while there are some who already played their final match in the weeks gone.
Some of the players who have missed selection to take on Les Bleus have shouldered relatively full workloads throughout the bulk of the season. Codie Taylor, Ethan Blackadder, Dalton Papalii, TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett and Anton Lienert-Brown have, when fit, been relatively first-choice selections by Ian Foster and his men, and while they still would have likely preferred to run out in Paris, they can at least head home knowing they’ve been major features in an epic test season.
There are others, like Akira Ioane, Sam Cane, George Bridge and Quinn Tupaea, who will be ecstatic that they’ve made the final cut for the last game of a 10-game tour, having primarily sat on the sidelines in recent weeks.
Even for men like Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ofa Tuungafasi, Tupou Vaa’i and Shannon Frizell, who will park up on the bench this weekend, the chance to at least use up some of the energy they’ve doubt pent up over the past few weeks will be a huge relief.
But spare a thought for some of the other players in the squad, the men who’ve been on deck at All Blacks trainings week-in and week-out for the last five months but who have had to primarily watch from the bleachers as their more senior first-string teammates take the pitch game after game, who have again missed selection.
The All Blacks will play their 15th match of the year on Saturday after first assembling at the end of June and, for the majority of the squad, barely spending any time apart since the first test against Tonga.
Throughout those 15 matches, five full-time members of the squad will have featured in five or fewer games – with the majority of those appearances coming in dribs and drabs off the bench.
Hooker Asafo Aumua, prop Ethan de Groot, loose forward Hoskins Sotutu, halfback Finlay Christie and midfielder Braydon Ennor have amassed just 24 appearances and 10 starts between them over the season.
There are others, like locks Josh Lord and Patrick Tuipulotu and halfback Aaron Smith that have also accrued minimal minutes but in the latter two cases, that’s down to their own personal situations. Lord, who was only whistled into the squad ahead of the northern tour, will simply be thrilled to have gotten the call-up and the two caps he earned against the USA and Italy will be the icing on the cake for the young man.
But for the likes of Aumua, Sotutu and Ennor, who are into their second year with the national side, it will have been tough not hearing their names read out at the team announcement earlier in the week – even if that’s what they’d been anticipating all along.
The last game of the calendar year will decide Ian Foster's mood for much of the long, test rugby-less summer. #AllBlacks #FRAvNZL
✍️ Tony Johnsonhttps://t.co/JtfLBn6DCp
— RugbyPass+ (@RugbyPassPlus) November 18, 2021
Having travelled to Europe with 39 players, there were always going to be an unlucky few that were forced into expelling most of their energy outside of game situations. In the days of yore, those men would have at least had mid-week games against club sides to get some minutes under their belt but for obvious reasons, that wasn’t possible this year.
While Aumua, De Groot, Sotutu, Christie and Ennor have hardly put a foot wrong this season, they’ve simply found themselves lower down on the All Blacks pecking order.
There are others who will also be feeling bitterly disappointed at missing selection.
Luke Jacobson has been a stellar performer throughout the year but with Ioane and Cane both also in need of minutes, and Frizell only travelling for the final part of the season, it was evidently too big an ask to find space for either him or Sotutu in the match-day 23, despite swapping three of the four loose forwards out from last weekend.
Angus Ta’avao is another unlucky soldier, though his limited minutes throughout the year are a product of an incredibly unlucky run of injuries for the big prop.
So while Ian Foster has made some major changes to the match-day side for the final game of the year against France, rotating 13 new players into the line-up for the skirmish, there are still going to be those who were on the cusp of selection feeling disappointed that they didn’t quite make the cut.
Comments on RugbyPass
I think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
11 Go to commentsAfter missing the curfew, the player was simply too “Shagged” to stand up.
11 Go to commentsVernier is probably the best 12 in the world though she has some English competition these days . I am nervous for England because it is unpredictable France and who knows which team will turn up, but they have not yet shown anything that should worry England, Saturday could be a different day. I would be more confident against the BFs.
1 Go to commentsWhat a difference Rodda and Carter made. Rodda has been out for ages but he is really the only world class lock in Australian rugby. Him, Carter and Beale made a huge difference on the weekend. If only they had a few decent props they’d be a much more dangerous team. Hamish Stewart was excellent last week as well. His carrying has improved significantly and has to be next in line after Paisami at 12 for the Wallabies. He’ll benefit hugely with Beale at fullback, there’s just no better communicator in Australian rugby than him and his experience will make a huge difference for the Force. No one sees space like Beale and he’s still sharp. I can see Force making a late charge into the top 8 if they can get some consistency.
2 Go to commentsRodda will be a walk up starter at lock. Frost if you analyse his dominance has little impact and he’s a long way from being physical enough, especially when you compare to Rodda and the work he does. He was quite poor at the World Cup in his lack of physicality. Between Rodda and Skelton we would have locks who can dominate the breakdown and in contact. Frost is maybe next but Schmidt might go for a more physical lock who does their core work better like Ryan or LSL. Swain is no chance unless there’s a load of injuries. Pollard hasn’t got the scrum ability yet to be considered. Nasser dominated him when they went toe to toe and really showed him up. Picking Skelton effects who can play 6 and 8. Ideally Valetini would play 6 as that’s his best position and Wilson at 8 but that’s not ideal for lineout success. Cale isn’t physical enough yet in contact and defence but is the best backrow lineout jumper followed by Wright, Hanigan and Swinton so unfortunately Valetini probably will start at 8 with Wright or Hanigan at 6. Wilson on the bench, he’s got too much quality not to be in the squad. Paisami is leading the way at 12 but Hamish Stewart is playing extremely well also and his ball carrying has improved significantly. Beale is also another option based on the weekend. Beale is class but he’s also the best communicator of any Australian backline player and that can’t be underestimated, he’ll be in the mix.
8 Go to commentsWhy do people keep on picking Ardie at 7 when he's a ball in hand 8? A modern 7 is the lead tackler and ruck clearer which isn't his strength.
14 Go to commentsSly dig there at Ireland’s propensity to back a non-Irish coach. Must really want it. I’m not sure I like ROG very much. Comes off as unpleasant. But he’d gain my respect if he took a number 7 ranked team and turned them into WC winners. Not even back-to-back. Argentina? Scotland? Or how about Wales? France would be too easy, no?
1 Go to commentsA bit of sensationalism, but surprised by the comments about SBW. I’ve always thought of him as a pretty authentic person. There is nothing worse than working with a colleague you’ve seen straight through.
11 Go to comments100% agree with your comment about Touch. I’ve been playing it competitively since Covid. It’s on a Wednesday night after work. It means the weekend is free for time with my family.
1 Go to commentsRodda back is massively important for the Wallabies. Kaitu at hooker important too coz he was very good a few years ago.
2 Go to commentsThe pink cabous might be eligible this year and the Boks don’t need him
8 Go to commentsNasser and kaitu are options for hooker. Especially Nasser. You forgot Rodda who touch wood will be fit at test time and if fit he’s number one. Great partner for the great Skelton and Oz best lineout caller. Third best lock is LSL whom I’d be inclined to sub on for Skelton around 60 minutes. Probably start valetini at 8 because I like a big body back there. Cale should play 6 at the brumbies. For Wallabies definitely cale in the squad but as an apprentice. Dunno who starts at 6 seru wright Swinton hanigan with Will Harris and Harry Wilson not far away. Seru and Swinton my front runners but Swinton is going. Still if we don’t cap seru then Fiji must coz they need his lineout skills and easily compensate for his lack of weight
8 Go to commentsYeah but who was it?
11 Go to commentsThink you might have written this just before the Brumbies got thrashed last weekend
8 Go to commentsI really do believe that Billy Proctor should be selected at least in the larger squad but also it would be my choice at 13, much more a center than Ioane who can still play at wing. Roigard if fit should play, otherwise it should be Perenara or Christie. Also, Iose could deserve a spot at blindside. Of course, being a Canes supporter I’m biased but I really believe that at least Billy P is deserving a chance and being Holland one of the Selectors, I’m having a little hope he could grab it.
14 Go to commentsI would not play Swinton I’d pick Wright or Hanigan. The rest are decent starters, but can’t agree on any subs except Tupou. My take on the subs: Gibbon, Ueslese, Tupou, LSL, Wilson, White, Will Harrison, and Petaia.
8 Go to commentsSBW the biggest moron to pull on a black jersey a park footy player at best
11 Go to commentsSBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
11 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
14 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to comments