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The 11 players the All Blacks should call upon to bolster their Rugby Championship squad

By Campbell Burnes
Josh Ioane. (Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)

The All Blacks selectors will soon name the extra 11 players to travel to Australia for the Rugby Championship, which is good news for those men but bad news for the Mitre 10 Cup, whose time in the spotlight is about to end. I hasten to add that this is my 11, rather than exactly whom I think the selectors will opt for.

David Havili

The All Blacks already have plenty of fullback cover, but surely room can be found for the Tasman skipper.

He’s played classy footy all season, despite two significant illness/injury setbacks, and is in hot form after a hat-trick for the Mako against the Mooloos just last weekend.

Havili can also suit up at No 12, making him gold in a match-day squad selection.

Peter Umaga-Jensen

The All Blacks need more midfield cover after the season-ending injury to Braydon Ennor. Step forward, Peter Umaga-Jensen, who stepped up strongly in the last few weeks of the Hurricanes’ campaign. Nephew of Tana Umaga, he carries hard and can punch a hole in most defences, not to mention being an option at second five too.

Ngani Laumape

His Hurricanes’ season was derailed by a broken arm just when he was sparking up.

But that means he can still run and, as long as that arm has healed nicely, he’ll be on the plane. While lacking match fitness, Laumape could still be used as a weapon off the pine in Australia.

Josh Ioane

He’s already been an All Black, and can be ranked third in the first five position in New Zealand.

Don’t forget it was his pinpoint chip for a Will Jordan try that saw the South steal the inter-island fixture earlier this month. Since then, he has shown us his wares with Otago, including a starring hand in the stirring Shield victory in Inglewood last weekend.

Finlay Christie

Presuming he’s recovered from the appendicitis that has rubbed him out of the last two Mako matches, Finlay Christie is your man as the fourth halfback.

His star rose exponentially with the Blues in Super Rugby Aotearoa, sharp running and passing major feature of his game. He’ll nudge out the sparky Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi and the reliable Mitch Drummond.

Lachlan Boshier

He’s been unlucky, because there has not been a better fetcher in New Zealand rugby this season.

Boshier had to cede to Sam Cane and Ardie Savea, two better allround footballers, but he has just continued his Chiefs form with Taranaki, and his display in the Shield win over Canterbury was right out of the top drawer. Get him in there.

Tom Robinson

A modern-day Norm Maxwell, Tom Robinson just got injured at the wrong times in 2019-20, after back to back compelling seasons for the Blues.

He is the best No 6/lock around, the latest answer to Jackson Hemopo. Robinson has powered through the work with the Taniwha and it shows with their 2-1 record. His exit would be a hammer blow for Northland, but would please his growing legion of fans.

Scott Barrett

Scott Barrett underwent foot surgery in June, but they reckon he could be good to go by early November, so it will be interesting to see how the All Blacks bring him up to speed in the middle of an arduous Rugby Championship.

He is, of course an automatic selection in any national squad when fit, so move aside, you younger locks.

Scott Scrafton

This season has seen lock Scott Scrafton come of age as a Super Rugby player, racking up 13 good games for the Hurricanes and showcasing his aerial skills and growing industriousness around the track.

He edges the consistent Mitch Dunshea out of the reckoning.

Angus Ta’avao

The All Blacks have six props, three on either side of the scrum, but other than Ofa Tuungafasi, now mainly a tighthead, they have none who can fulfil the Ben Franks role.

We know Angus Ta’avao has international experience and can play both sides, though his scrummaging is hardly fearsome international quality. But he was much too good, at tighthead, for the Turbos last weekend. His skills and versatility will be useful in Australia.

Ash Dixon

One for the old boys.

Yes, we know Liam Coltman is dynamic around the field, but Ash Dixon is the better lineout thrower and can latch onto any attacking maul for a meat pie. The 32-year-old Dixon’s Highlanders’ form was so good he played his way into the starting XV, at Coltman’s expense, and the North Island.

What a story it would be if he could win the Shield in his 100th Magpies game on Sunday and then win a first, and fully deserved, All Blacks call-up. Someone might then sew up a Super Rugby deal with this man. He’s off contract, but surely not for long.

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J
Jon 47 minutes ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 3 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

15 Go to comments
A
Adrian 5 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

15 Go to comments
T
Trevor 8 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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