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The Blues and Highlanders stars who could become All Blacks bolters after this weekend's final

By Sam Smith
Photos / Photosport

Much of this week’s media attention has been focused towards the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final, but there is an underlying narrative surrounding next Monday’s All Blacks squad announcement.

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While three of New Zealand’s five Super Rugby sides won’t be able to show off their talent for the rest of the year, this Saturday presents the last chance for All Blacks hopefuls from the Blues and Highlanders to push their case for inclusion in Ian Foster’s side.

Perform well on Super Rugby’s grandest stage at Eden Park this weekend, and fringe All Blacks players could well hear their names read aloud when Foster’s first squad of 2021 is announced two days after the final.

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Which players Foster has or hasn’t pencilled in remains unclear, but there are a number of players competing in the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final who could lock themselves into the squad with a starring performance in three days’ time.

According to former All Blacks hooker James Parsons, Blues lock Gerard Cowley-Tuioti is among those who could come into consideration if he shines in what is thought to be his final appearance for the franchise this weekend.

“One guy that’s maybe out there but potentially could be on the radar if there’s an injury is Gerard Cowley-Tuioti,” Parsons told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.

“I just think he’s really good with ball in hand and he’s really good defensively. He’s got that, but he’s a student of the game. His preparation, he runs the Blues’ defence and attack, lineouts with Patty [Patrick Tuipulotu], so he knows that side of his game.

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“He’s really bone-deep in his prep, which I really like, and that’s what you need at that next standard. He’s had a great season. His game is just the best I’ve ever seen it. I don’t want to lose him for Harbour, but could potentially do so.”

Ex-Highlanders lock Joe Wheeler agreed with Parons’ comments as he expressed disbelief over Cowley-Tuioti’s omission from the North Island squad for last year’s North vs South clash.

“I was a huge fan of his last year and I think he’s put in two consecutive, consistent seasons,” Wheeler told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.

“The interesting thing for me was he was probably one of our form locks last season in Super Rugby Aotearoa but missed, somehow, the North Island selection, which I still can’t understand how he missed out on that selection.

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“He was probably one of the best locks in the country at that stage, so that was interesting for me. I took that as where they stand that he’s a little bit too old for that next World Cup cycle.

“If guys are good enough now and they’re playing at that highest tier and at a world-class level, then you should pick them, regardless of position, regardless of whether you see them being able to make the next World Cup.

“I think that might be counting against him, but I’ve loved his presence in that Blues side, now running lineouts with Patty and doing a fantastic job, and obviously what you alluded to with their defence, their defensive lineout being the best in the competition this year.”

Parsons also highlighted Blues stars such as Alex Hodgman, Akira Ioane and Tom Robinson as other prospects who could break their way into the All Blacks.

The ex-Blues captain added that key Highlanders players Jona Nareki, Josh Ioane and Mitch Hunt may also be in the running as potential backup options should they impress in the final.

Wheeler made particular note of Nareki, who has caught the eye this year with an array of electric performances on the wing for the Highlanders.

“I know traditionally the All Blacks have gone for that big, bruising that always wins gainline, but the thing I love about Jona Nareki is he’s got the complete skill set,” Wheeler said.

“For a winger, obviously not the biggest guy, but he plays big. He had that uncanny ability to always beat the first defender. He’s got a great left foot, he turns up in areas a lot of other left wingers wouldn’t turn up in as second receiver.

“He has the ability to throw the wide ball, he has a huge work rate, and I’d just about say he’s one of the best defensive wings in New Zealand at the moment.

“He has a great ability to shut down time and space to paint a picture that he’s got everything covered, but then also pull back when he doesn’t to sell two different pictures. If teams think they can skip pass him, he has an uncanny ability of taking those intercepts.

“I think he’s a guy, even though he’s small in stature, the way he plays, he plays so big and he’s so important to what this Highlanders team does.”

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Jon 8 hours 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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john 11 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.

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FEATURE Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby? Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?
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