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When New Zealand travelled to the World Cup in Japan last year, the make-up of their first-choice loose forward trio was still not quite clear.
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Their three best players – Kieran Read, Ardie Savea and Sam Cane – had been crammed into one trio to take on the Wallabies in Perth earlier in the year, but questions remained over the viability of that option.
Savea and Cane had traditionally been viewed as out and out openside flankers, but that thinking changed (or was forced to change) in 2019 when it became apparent that there was no one else ready to step up to the plate as an international blindside flanker.
Liam Squire, Jerome Kaino’s heir-apparent, had withdrawn himself from national selection for personal reasons while Luke Jacobson showed plenty of promise but eventually was pulled from the tournament due to lingering concussion issues.
The experimental trio in Perth were outplayed by their Australian opposition but the fact that the All Blacks were reduced to a seven-man pack for half the game due to a red card incurred by lock Scott Barrett made it difficult to assess the performance.
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The same trio again started against Australia three weeks later in the Bledisloe Cup decider and all three players stood up to help crush the Wallabies 36-nil.
Still, there were reservations about the combination.
Cane and Read had it all right, starting in their usual positions, but Savea was the one who was forced into a slightly different role on the blindside flank.
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Questions were asked concerning whether Savea had the bulk or height to shift into the 6 jersey, or if his influence would be stifled by the more conservative nature of the role.
Still, coach Steve Hansen persisted and it wasn’t until New Zealand’s ill-fated semi-final against England that a new option was trialled, with Barrett shifted from the second row onto the blindside.
The blindside flanker might be the least glamorous position in modern rugby, writes @rhigarthjones https://t.co/4X8IswyyAg
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 14, 2019
It wasn’t quite the inspired selection that Hansen would have hoped for, with the English forwards comfortably playing their New Zealand opponents out of the game.
Hansen himself probably still wonder what his best option would have been going into that game. Jacobson and Squire were both back home in New Zealand, alongside the likes of Vaea Fifita and Luke Whitelock, while Shannon Frizell and Matt Todd were saved for the bronze playoff a week later.
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Whatever the right answer is, it’s becoming clear that the role of each loose forward is no longer as simple as it was in the past.
Alongside the usual jobs of a forward, tackling, fetching and ball carrying were the traditional jobs of the blindside flanker, the openside flanker and the number 8, respectively.
Loose forwards are now expected to do all of the above, as well as running in open play, passing and sometimes even kicking.
There are simply no players on the field that are expected to have as diverse a pallet of skills as a loosie – and coaches and fans alike are expecting more and more from New Zealand’s players.
Jacobson, who has played almost zero rugby on the openside has been touted as Test-level 7 – simply because he can do all the jobs required of a modern-day loosie.
“I feel a lot more comfortable at 6 and 8,” said Jacobson at the Super Rugby launch. “I’ve had a little bit of time in the saddle at 7 to build a little confidence there.
“I’m not too phased where I am, as long as I’m out on the pitch. If that’s where the team wants me then sweet as, no dramas.”
If you were looking for separation between the top two Sevens sides in the world… you just got it.https://t.co/4xbyoGB0tz #Hamilton7s
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 26, 2020
Savea has also covered all three loose forward roles between the Hurricanes and the All Blacks while Cane has been used at the back of the scrum for the Chiefs.
In the Chiefs’ game against the Reds, late in the 2019 season, Cane was originally named on the blindside with Lachlan Boshier at 7 but when the pair ran out of the tunnel for the match, it was Boshier who’d been handed the 6 jersey.
“To be honest, it wouldn’t worry me which number they have on their back,” said Chiefs forwards coach Neil Barnes ahead of the game. “We talk about what roles they’re going to do from set-piece and, from there, it’s just rugby and they play, so it’s not a big deal.”
Cane also shed some light on the situation.
“As soon as [the team] got announced, me and Lachie talked and Neil came over and said ‘I don’t care which jersey you guys wear, you guys sort it out’.
“We were like ‘well I’m doing seven at lineout, Lachie’s doing six at lineout’. I said [to Boshier] ‘do you want to do seven at scrum time?’, he goes ‘I don’t really mind’. I said ‘sweet, I don’t mind either.’”
Because there’s so much more to the roles than simply tackling or causing a ruckus at the breakdown, the similarities between the two positions have grown so much compared to the aspects that make them unique that distinguishing between the two is almost pointless.
The current crop of New Zealand loose forwards that will contest for spots in the first All Blacks squad for the year are all more than capable of playing in at least two positions.
Incumbents Cane and Savea can effectively operate across the whole backrow. Jacobson and Blues flanker Dalton Papalii are in a similar boat – though their comparative lack of experience means they haven’t had the chance to show off their abilities in all three positions at Super Rugby level yet.
Then there are the hybrid lock/flankers like Barrett, Fifita, Frizell and Tom Robinson.
It’s fast becoming apparent that to progress to the next level, you’re going to need at least a few strings to your both – especially with compacted squads, such as at the World Cup.
With just 31 men allowed, the ability to cover more than one position is imperative and, thankfully, most of New Zealand’s loose forwards are capable of doing so.
The role of a loose forward has grown considerably since the early years of professionalism where specialisation was key. Now, strength lies in breadth of skills and selection at the highest levels is becoming more and more dependent on it.
WATCH: England coach Eddie Jones says he wants the team to be “the greatest team the rugby world has ever seen” following his announcement of the team’s Six Nations squad.
Comments on RugbyPass
Says much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
1 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
23 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
10 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
78 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
23 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
10 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
2 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
16 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
23 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
23 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
3 Go to comments