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Who needs a big game against the Springboks? The six All Blacks with most at stake

By Tom Vinicombe
There's plenty to play for in tonight's match between the All Blacks and the Springboks - including World Cup spots. (Photos by Getty Images)

Tonight’s match between New Zealand and South Africa could be the last chance for a number of All Blacks to impress Steve Hansen and his fellow selectors before the squad is culled down.

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A number of Crusaders players were rested from last weekend’s match in Argentina, but that still didn’t leave many spaces for fringe players who will be hoping to travel to Japan for the World Cup later in the year.

Some players will have a full game to prove their worth, some may have just 20 minutes off the bench. Either way, the All Blacks that are under the magnifying glass will be hoping they have enough time to impress Hansen.

Not everyone playing tonight necessarily has a World Cup spot on the line. In some cases, tonight will be an opportunity for some players to push for a starting spot in the team.

So, who has the most to play for in this evening’s blockbuster?

Shannon Frizell

It’s been repeated ad nauseam at this point, but no player in the squad has stood out as the obvious candidate to fill the 6 jersey for the World Cup. After Vaea Fifita’s middling performance against the Pumas, Frizell now has an opportunity to prove to the selectors that he is an international-level blindside flanker.

Frizell started the season with a hiss and a roar for the Highlanders but found himself on the bench in the latter stages of the competition. His core skills are as good as any’s and he has the size to be a genuine enforcer. With little international pedigree to fall back upon, Frizell could find himself on the outs if he fails to do his job against an impressive Springboks team.

Matt Todd

Matt Todd has always been a favourite of Steve Hansen’s. He’s the consummate professional – no one would ever be able to accuse Todd of not putting in his full effort. Unfortunately for the Cantabrian, he’s now to Sam Cane and Ardie Savea what Marty Holah was to Richie McCaw.

There’s no guarantee that the All Blacks will take three openside flankers to the World Cup – they didn’t in 2015. That means Todd has to either prove himself as a better option than Cane or Savea, or hope that Savea takes over as the team’s first choice 8. If Todd wants to keep his future in his own hands, then a huge performance will be necessary tonight.

Richie Mo’unga

There are no questions whether Richie Mo’unga will be going to the World Cup – he’ll be one of the first names pencilled into the squad list. Tonight, however, presents the playmaker with an opportunity to show that he’s ready for the big leagues and shouldn’t be stuck behind Beauden Barrett in the 10 jersey.

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Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett have spent plenty of time opposing each other – how will the combination function in tonight’s match? (Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)

Mo’unga has started just two test matches – against Argentina and Japan. He’s been used off the bench at first five with Barrett shifting back to fullback, but’s he’s yet to start in a game against top opposition. There’s a genuine opportunity here for Mo’unga to prove to the selectors that he’s better than just a 20-minute bench player.

If the ‘experiment’ works well tonight then expect to see Mo’unga retained at 10 throughout the Bledisloe series. If it fails, however, then it would be a surprise to see the combination used again under Hansen’s reign has head coach.

Sonny Bill Williams

There are still some people who don’t quite appreciate how much of an impact Sonny Bill Williams can have on an opposition’s defence. It takes a strong tackler to take Williams down, and if they aren’t able to wrap around his arms then you can be sure that Williams will release a trademark offload. The big centre’s very presence in the midfield creates opportunities out wide, as the opposition either need to commit multiple defenders to shut him down.

Still, Williams isn’t much use to the All Blacks if he isn’t on the park. It’s no secret that the former NRL champion has had a horrid run of injuries. Tonight’s game gives Williams the opportunity to show the coaches that his injuries haven’t hampered his play too much. Hansen said earlier in the week that Williams just needs to stay on the park – and that’s exactly what the midfielder will be trying to do.

Vaea Fifita

The selectors have given Vaea Fifita a huge opportunity to back up after an unimpressive performance against the Pumas. The Hurricane has still yet to show that he’s ready for the big leagues and he could find that a big night from Frizell means he’s pushed out of the All Blacks squad.

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There’s a lot to like about Fifita. He’s a huge man who can cover both lock and flanker, making his invaluable in a World Cup squad – but he needs to prove that he’s able to do at least one of those jobs to an international standard. Tonight’s match could be last chance saloon for Fifita, and a bench means he’s won’t have a lot of time to prove his worth.

Dalton Papalii

To the average armchair critic, Dalton Papalii’s selection in the squad may have come as a bit of a surprise. With Cane, Savea and Todd all in the squad, a fourth number 7 seems like overkill. Papalii, however, is capable of covering all three backrow positions and offers something a little bit different to Todd, in particular.

Papalii made his debut on last year’s end of season tour and ran out against Japan and Italy (off the bench, in the latter case). Despite Papalii’s utility, he played on the openside flank in both those fixtures and his ability to cover the backrow at an international level is still somewhat questionable. It’s hard to know which position Papalii will be called upon to fill in tonight’s match, but if he replaces Todd then it’s hard to see how both flankers can escape the cull in the coming weeks.

Papalii is definitely a player for the future, but tonight’s impact role will give the 21-year-old the opportunity to stake a claim for the present.

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J
Jon 7 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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j
john 10 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.

39 Go to comments
A
Adrian 12 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

39 Go to comments
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