The UK media is bagging the All Blacks for giving out "confetti caps", after the New Zealand selectors named eight debutants for tomorrow's Test against Japan in Tokyo.
The Guardian didn't acknowledge New Zealand's coach Steve Hansen's 23-man team to take on Japan as the All Blacks, hinting that the real men in black are already in England preparing for their Test next week against Eddie Jones' (England coach) men.
"When New Zealand face Japan in Tokyo on Saturday, the All Blacks will be thousands of miles away," wrote The Guardian 's Gerard Meagher.
The All Blacks selectors opted to pick a 51-man squad for their northern hemisphere tour this year, with the majority of their stars left out of the Japan test and already in the UK preparing for their upcoming Tests against England and Ireland.
"Dress it up any way you like but by announcing a squad to face the Brave Blossoms featuring eight rookies at almost the precise moment 23 frontline players were boarding a flight to London, Steve Hansen is handing out confetti caps," wrote Gerard Meagher.
"Granted Hansen's first-choice XV could pull Japan apart but if this match is to warrant test status it was incumbent on the head coach to sprinkle at least a few star names among his selection.
"Alas, second-string sides playing test matches is a trend we are only going to see more of, while Hansen's decision to do so now also demonstrates an awareness of the challenges around the corner for a side that wobbled towards the end of the Rugby Championship."
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