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The biggest issue facing the All Blacks ahead of next week's squad announcement
A pair of former All Blacks greats have outlined the biggest selections issues faced by New Zealand head coach Ian Foster ahead of his first squad announcement of the year next week.
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The All Blacks squad to play in next month’s test series against Tonga and Fiji will be named at 7pm next Monday, and ex-All Blacks wing Sir John Kirwan has plenty of questions about what the side will look like and how they will play.
Speaking on The Breakdown on Monday, Kirwan suggested the biggest issue facing the All Blacks is how they will combat the rising injury toll within their loose forward stocks.
The national side will already be without captain Sam Cane, who has been ruled out of the series due to a pectoral injury, while fresh concerns have developed over the fitness of Ardie Savea.
The Hurricanes captain appeared to re-injure the same knee that kept him sidelined for six weeks between April and May during his side’s season-ending 43-14 victory over the Reds in Wellington on Friday.
While the seriousness of Savea’s injury is yet to be determined, Blues head coach Leon MacDonald also confirmed both Dalton Papalii and Tom Robinson are in doubt for this weekend’s Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final against the Highlanders.
Like Savea, just how long Papalii and Robinson will be sidelined for, or if they will miss any action at all, remains to be seen, but Kirwan didn’t hide his concern about New Zealand’s loose forward depth.
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“I think loose forward is a real issue. When Sam got injured, I thought, ‘Well this is going to be Ardie’s opportunity to get out there and go for it’, but [now he is potentially injured],” Kirwan told The Breakdown.
“When you think about it, normally we’ve got a hundred of them [back-up options as injury cover] and you’re sort of going, ‘Ardie’s not going to be there’ – might not be, let’s hope he is.”
Kirwan also expressed intrigue about how the All Blacks will deal with the loss of blockbusting midfielder Ngani Lamuape to French club Stade Francais.
Laumape ended his time in New Zealand on Friday as the Hurricanes dispatched the Reds, bringing the curtain down on a six-season spell with the Wellington-based franchise and a 15-test career with the All Blacks.
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Widely-regarded as the most damaging ball-carrier in New Zealand, Kirwan said this will be the first time in recent memory that the All Blacks haven’t been able to select a midfielder capable of getting over the advantage line via pure strength and power.
Despite missing out on playing at this weekend’s Olympic qualification tournament, not all hope is lost for ex-All Blacks star Charles Piutau’s dream of playing international rugby for Tonga. #TongaRugby #AllBlacks #Tokyo2020 #TokyoOlympics https://t.co/l2GDOrzJgA
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 14, 2021
“I think there’s a different tactical approach straight away by us letting Ngani Laumape go because it’s probably the first time, for I don’t know how long, that we haven’t had someone like Ma’a [Nonu] or someone like Ngani who can get us over the advantage line with brute strength,” Kirwan said.
“We’re not looking like we’re going to have that, so we’re going to have a little bit of a different backline look.”
Those tactical and selection changes could alter the way in which the All Blacks play, according to former New Zealand utility back Mils Muliaina.
The 2011 World Cup-winner questioned whether Foster will keep the status quo heading into the upcoming series, or if he will change things in his team, such as the dual-playmaker system between Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett.
“I’m more looking forward to the way they play. Are they going to take the same sort of mentality that most of our Super Rugby teams have played, or are they going to try and change things up?
“Beaudy [Barrett] and also Mo’unga, what are they going to do? Are they going to play the dual-playmaker roles? They’re two very good players, so, Ian Foster, what has he gone away and thought about his team in terms of the way we actually play the game?”
Muliaina added that, while they struggled for results in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman, the Australian franchises showed an ability to adapt to New Zealand’s style of play after prolonged exposure.
That made the former 100-test veteran wonder whether Foster would utilise similar tactics used by the Kiwi Super Rugby teams.
“In Trans-Tasman, those teams are really starting to adapt, so are they trying to take the same approach as what our Super Rugby teams have, or throw something totally different in?
“Do they have the opportunity now to do that in those first three or so test matches, which we should win quite comfortably in?”
“I was under pressure because players were searching around for things to fix and I can remember clashing with Anton [Lienert-Brown] over how our defence should run.” #SuperRugbyTT
?? @RealMikePulmanhttps://t.co/r4lPNgYkEt
— The XV Rugby (@TheXV) June 14, 2021
Muliaina also expressed minimal concern about the availability of Cane and Savea as he believed the All Blacks have enough cover within their ranks thanks to the enlarged squad that travelled to Australia to play in last year’s Tri-Nations.
“They took a pretty big squad over to Aussie last year as well, so are there going to be any bolters? I’m not sure there will be. When you lose those sorts of guys – the Sam Canes, the Ardie Saveas – I think they’ll still be alright.
“There’s a lot of leadership around the whole team in terms of the squad in different positions that can cover for those guys being out.”
Kirwan, meanwhile, noted that although Foster is only contracted until the end of this year, he should use this test season as a chance to prepare for the 2023 World Cup in France.
He said that means issues such as what the make-up of the All Blacks’ bench will look like and where Beauden Barrett plays need to be resolved over the coming months.
“You haven’t got a long-term contract, but you’ve got to start thinking about the World Cup. I think we don’t have a lot of test matches,” Kirwan told The Breakdown.
“I think, with Brodie [Retallick] coming back and Sam [Whitelock] playing the way he is, we have world-class locks. What do you do? We need a third lock, Scott Barrett, what are you going to do around some of your bench and some of your fringes?
“It seems to be the bigger question for me. Are there going to be some bolters? I’m obviously hoping Robinson from the Blues will get in because I think he can cover six and lock, so what are you going to do now to build your squad?
“We talk about it all the time, it’s not just your XV anymore. What are you going to do with your bench? Where are you going to put Beauden? What are you going to do? There’s a lot of intrigue in this, and I’m quite excited about the team.”
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“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments