What the North v South selections mean for New Zealand's halfback pecking order
If Saturday’s North v South clash weren’t an All Blacks trial masquerading as the great interisland battles of the past, then the world’s best halfback would likely be starting in the No. 9 jersey for the North Island team.
The reality is that the Ian Foster and his assistants are using this weekend’s match as the final trial before selecting their squad on Sunday for what will likely be a supersized Bledisloe Cup series – which could be why TJ Perenara has received the nod ahead of Aaron Smith.
Smith, following a superlative Super Rugby Aotearoa season with the Highlanders, has sent a reminder out across the globe that the fast-slinging scrumhalf adds another level to any team that’s lucky enough to have him in the driver’s seat. There’s a possibility that North coaches John Plumtree and Scott McLeod believe that TJ Perenara can get under the skin of their opposition and wear them down before Smith is unleashed in the final quarter of the game.
In all likelihood, however, the national selectors want to see the All Blacks backup halves go head to head – which is why Perenara and Weber have been selected to square off over the weekend.
Last year, the three most experienced Super Rugby halfback in the country, Smith, Perenara and Weber, all travelled to the World Cup. There’s a very slim chance that all three will be selected for the 2023 competition in France, however, and the All Blacks coaches will be contemplating what the best process is to bring in new talent.
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi and Mitch Drummond are the only other halfbacks in the country that have earned international caps but neither have been selected for the North v South encounter – not even on the bench.
With Perenara and Smith in the North, 25-year-old Tahuriorangi was always going to struggle to earn a spot in the matchday 23. His selection in the squad in the first place came as a surprise to many, simply given his lack of minutes at Super Rugby level over the past two seasons.
Drummond, on the other hand, was regularly used as an impact player for the Crusaders and could have been pushing Weber for the starting South spot. Finlay Christie’s selection, however, means that neither of the champion Crusaders’ halfbacks have made the North v South matchday teams.
While last year’s World Cup trio were always expected to take up three of the four interisland spots, Christie would have been a rank outsider for the fourth option at the start of the season and his selection is a clear reward for the solid form the former Blues halfback has displayed during the latter half of the Super season.
At 25 years old, Christie could slowly be emerging as the likeliest contender to slip into the All Blacks squad ahead of one of Weber or Perenara. He’s helped hugely by not being perched behind a more experienced option at the Blues and has been playing alongside one of the most experienced 10s in the country.
Prior to the season, you would have thought that the All Blacks coaches would be using 2020 as a rebuilding year to start integrating young talent to slowly replace the men that might not be up to scratch in four year’s time. While it would be unfair to categorically rule out any of the current crop of players from making the next competition, taking three halfbacks aged 31 and over to the World Cup does seem unlikely.
The disrupted year means that Foster has even less time to bring new players up to speed and prepare them for the likes of England and South Africa but, at least at this stage, it looks like any changes in the halves may be another year away.
Unless, of course, the selectors are considering bring Christie or Tahuriorangi in ahead of Perenara or Weber. Perhaps playing the latter two against each other in Saturday’s match is a trial to determine who of Smith’s back-ups should be preserved in the squad, and who should be let go.
It would be cut-throat decision to make, but that’s the nature of professional rugby.
What the North v South selections have taught us is that the pecking order is still very much up for debate. Bryn Hall and Mitch Drummond were major cogs in the Crusaders machine and have both missed out on selection while Aaron Smith, the best halfback in the world, is riding the pine. Sunday’s All Blacks selection should answer a few questions around what the national coaches are thinking for the future.
Comments on RugbyPass
I hope WRU cops a 12 month ban.
1 Go to commentsOuch. Pumped. Even Nohamba is a better flyhalf than Ford.
2 Go to commentsI hope Leinster’s proud of themselves fielding a poor team. They should decide if they’re all in or not.
2 Go to commentsJordie is looking at 16 games maximum if Leinster reach both the URC and champions cup finals. Thats not guaranteed. Some of those home URC fixtures will be cakewalks as well for Leinster and there is not much doing during the 6 nations in Feb and March so he can probably get a decent rest then. He will have to really put in it for maybe 7 or 8 games max. It should be a good move for both.
13 Go to commentsThe game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
30 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
13 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
13 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
6 Go to comments“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.
27 Go to comments