Steve Hansen reveals All Blacks' biggest selection headache leading into World Cup
All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen is preparing himself to make some tough calls as the deadline for his World Cup squad inches closer and closer.
There is plenty of competition for spots throughout the side, with positions such as prop, midfield and the outside backs particularly log-jammed as World Cup contenders battle it out against one another in Super Rugby for a ticket to Japan.
However, it is the role of blindside flanker that has Hansen most concerned in the lead-up to the global showpiece event.
The All Blacks are yet to find a long-term replacement for veteran Jerome Kaino, who played the last of his 81 tests against the British and Irish Lions in 2017 before departing to Toulouse last year.
Liam Squire has been seen as Kaino’s most likely successor since then, playing in 15 tests in that timeframe, but the challenges of Vaea Fifita (eight tests) and Shannon Frizell (four) have complicated selection matters for Hansen.
Jackson Hemopo, Akira Ioane, Dalton Papalii and Jordan Taufua are also in contention, while Scott Barrett and Ardie Savea both possess the potential to play there if need be.
With no clear favourite to start in the number six jersey, Hansen told Newstalk ZB that he hoped someone would stake a claim for the starting role before the tournament commences in September.
“We’d like to really establish someone in JK’s old role at six,” he said.
“Liam Squire’s done a really good job there but he’s been injured. We’ve got Shannon, we’ve got Vaea, and Akira’s starting to play well for the Blues after a good season with Auckland.
“There’s people putting their hand up, but they’re probably not as established as we’d like going into a World Cup.”
Squire is working through an ongoing hip injury, and should be available for Super Rugby selection in a couple weeks’ time, while Frizell and Ioane have been standouts in the competition’s opening rounds for the Highlanders and Blues, respectively.
Hansen said that given the lack of established squad members in comparison to previous World Cup cycles, there is potential to for a bolter to be selected in the same ilk that Nehe Milner-Skudder was plucked from obscurity to star in 2015.
“This year, probably more than previous tournaments, there’s room, because we’ve got some important decisions to make in certain positions, it’s going to be about who puts their hands up and does it. In a couple of positions we probably don’t have as many [options] as we’d like.
“We’re still open to adding more names to [our selection discussions] as we watch Super Rugby. Most New Zealanders could pick 25 or so [of the World Cup squad], but it’s getting that last six or seven players right, that’s the difficult part and the art of a good selector.
“We’ve got good flexibility around what we want to select – the type of player we think we’re going to need for the tournament, they’ve got to be good athletes and have great mental fortitude, but they’ve also got to be able to do their job at a really high level. There’s no stone being left unturned.”
Hansen’s selection process will include more scrutiny being applied in the final rounds and play-offs of Super Rugby, with the ability to handle high-pressure situations playing a key role in uncovering a potential World Cup bolter.
“We’re looking for people who can show you, particularly in the business end of Super Rugby, that they can cope with the heat of the fire and the pressure that comes with it,” he said.
“That’s why the latter games of the tournament are so important because that’s when the pressure is really on.
“That will show you how they cope, but it’s another level when you get to the All Blacks, you haven’t just got your franchise looking at you, you’ve got the whole nation.
“For some, it can be overwhelming, and you’ve got to take the time with them so they can grow and learn to cope with it.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
In the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
5 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
5 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept 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.
54 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.
7 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
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 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
54 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.
54 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.
18 Go to comments