'We're not at the stage where we can mix and match and do whatever we like'
Despite making 11 changes to the starting line-up, the All Blacks were able to thoroughly dismantle the Pumas in their rematch on Saturday night and have slowly developed their depth throughout their squad during the current campaign.
Ian Foster and his selectors named a 36-man squad at the beginning of the test season but have utilised 40 players over the past two and a half months. The current run of five games on the trot has forced the coaches to make regular changes to their match-day squad and that, coupled with the absence of a few senior players, has seen some young starlets handed opportunities they might not have been expecting at the beginning of the year.
In last night’s 36-13 win, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tupou Vaa’i and Joe Moody earned their first starts of 2021. In Taukei’aho’s case, it was the young hookers first appearance in the run-on side after only making his debut earlier in the season.
Inexperienced players such as Tyrel Lomax, Ethan Blackadder, Hoskins Sotutu and Quinn Tupaea also took the field in the starting line-up while George Bower, Luke Jacobson, Finlay Christie and Braydon Ennor added impetus off the bench.
While it might not have been Foster’s intentions at the start of the test season, the changing calendar has forced the All Blacks to spread the workload and the coaching group are undoubtedly hugely pleased with how their young charges have performed in their limited opportunities to date.
The win over the Pumas was just one further step in the right direction.
“We went in and clearly had a number of new combinations but the way the guys have been preparing over the last 10 days, [we were] really confident with the group that we went in with and delighted with some of the execution,” Foster said of the performance.
“I think it gives us a lot of confidence and I think it’s not surprising because the quality of how we’ve been training has been really good.
“You look at the likes of Quinn… I thought Braydon Ennor came in and played his first game back and I thought he looked really, really settled at centre, which was pleasing. Tupou Vaa’i, I thought, had a great game at lock. Patty [Tuipulotu] got through a bucketload of work for a big guy coming back.
“There’s a whole lot of things in there that are positive for us and really, it’s five tests in a row… I keep harping on a bit but every team’s going to have to dig deep into their will a little bit over the next fortnight and the strategy of how we went into this game puts us in a pretty good place going into the next two weeks.”
Two players who have had few opportunities to stake their claims this year were exemplary in the All Blacks' win over the Pumas. Will they force a loose forward rethink? #AllBlacks #ARGvNZLhttps://t.co/lyCmPfi0y0
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 18, 2021
The All Blacks looked like a well-oiled machine in the first 50 minutes, building a 29-3 lead and while the game lost some of its structure in the second half, Foster is confident the young players in the team will have taken some important lessons out of the victory.
“We’ve really wanted to make sure that we backed up with consistency of our performance, regardless of who’s out there,” he said. “There’s enough there tonight that people are going to pick holes in a few things and rightly so. We’ve got to be a lot more ruthless when we do create stuff because we left a few things on the field tonight that really tightened the game up unnecessarily, I thought.
“But overall, I just think it was good for our young, newer players to feel that pressure and that tension. I thought that fourth quarter for us as a team will be gold for us going forward because [the players will] realise that you never have anyone beaten in a test. They’re always going to come back at you and if you don’t finish them off when you’ve got a chance, you’re in for a bunfight. And we had our hands full there in that last quarter with Argentina and it’ll be good for us.”
As a whole, the match has left Foster with plenty of confidence in the young players who, while not regular starters now, could develop into long-term All Blacks.
“It’s the old mantra, you only build depth by playing players and putting them out on the park,” he said. “In a lot of ways, it’s exposed ourselves to a potential pitfall by making the number of changes we have but I keep reminding everyone that in 2021, we’ve got two blocks of fives tests in a row – which is something we’ve never had before.
“I think taking a few gambles, in some sense, of actually utilising the squad, utilising those that are performing at training, is going to reap rewards for us later on. But for right now, it’s positive – because we’ve got a lot of guys playing themselves into form and creating some good conversations.”
How New Zealand rated in the win over the Pumas in Brisbane. #NZLvARG #RugbyChampionship https://t.co/vupEYGqJll
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 18, 2021
The All Blacks head coach, in just his second year in the role, did caution that while the depth the side is developing is a huge positive, that doesn’t mean the team can afford to rest on its laurels.
“Let’s not get too carried away with it,” Foster said following the game. “We’ve got to be at our best to win test matches and it’s not about it being too clever in this space. We had a strategy for these two tests which we’ve been able to implement and we’ve got away with it and it’s gone well so we’ll now look at the next week. Once the dust settles tonight, we’ll look at it, see how the bodies are and make some decisions.
“But let’s be under no illusions; we’re not at the stage where we can mix and match and do whatever we like. We’ve still got to go and have a best XV on the park and sometimes the best XV for us is based on what we’re seeing at training and energy levels, and it might be a little bit different to what other people are thinking.”
The performances on Saturday night will no doubt influence the ‘best XV’ the All Blacks roll out in their showdown with the Springboks next weekend, with the South Africans likely hurting after back-to-back losses to the Pumas. While a slip up at this stage isn’t going to undermine the work that Foster and his coaching team have been doing, the All Blacks will undoubtedly enter the match fully aware of the challenge awaiting them.
Comments on RugbyPass
pure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
1 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
7 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
25 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays 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…
5 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.
25 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.
11 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!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
25 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
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to comments