TVNZ rugby experts Scotty Stevenson and Patrick McKendry dig into Scott Robertson's selections for the first Test of the Rugby Championship.
Scotty, in dropping halfback Finlay Christie from the Rugby Championship squad, not selecting flanker Samipeni Finau in the 23 to play Argentina in Wellington, and picking centre Rieko Ioane on the reserves bench, I think we can say that Razor has displayed his ruthless side. What does this say about the man with whom the buck stops, and what message does it send his players?
SS: I would be worried if the All Blacks coach didn’t have a ruthless edge, but I think this narrative that everyone in the squad is on notice has taken on a life of its own.
No one in any All Blacks environment should be overly comfortable, and the fact this group has some spice about it in terms of competition for places is a good thing. If there are players in the environment who are struggling with that, they will be found out.
I also think it pays to bear in mind that this iteration of the side is just three Tests in. There will always be a period in which the pieces are moved around the board. It’s not too dissimilar to a rowing eight, in which athletes are shifted between seats, and between boats, until the perfect combination becomes clear.
Granted, this is a high stakes environment in which players are tested, not just on game days, but through the week. I think this coaching group sets very high standards, but also would be at pains to tell players where they need to improve.
As much as the talk has been about who has been omitted, we could also talk about who has firmed as first choice. On that note, for me the player with the most to prove tomorrow is Dalton Papali'i.
What about you?
PM: Papali’i, yes, I hear what you’re saying, Scotty - for several reasons including the looming presence of Sam Cane, the former All Blacks skipper.
Cane isn’t playing on Saturday but he is fit and available and could be a good fit for one or both of the Tests against the Boks in South Africa next month.
Dialling in a little more on Robertson’s ruthlessness - going by his track record this year, the head coach appears to give players two Tests to prove themselves. Papali’i has a strong voice within that loose forward trio. A small anecdote: I was in the All Blacks hotel lobby on the Thursday before the England Test at Eden Park and witnessed (but didn’t hear) the loose forwards’ meeting. Papali’i probably said more in that short meeting than the other players combined.
Razor, a former All Blacks loosie, knows this area better than anyone. Papali'i is an important part of the mix in terms of leadership but he probably needs a breakout performance in Wellington. A big game from centre Anton Lienert-Brown, who is enjoying a rare start ahead of Rieko Ioane, would be timely, too.
Injuries have robbed the All Blacks of locks Scott Barrett and Patrick Tuipulotu, with Tupou Vaa’i and Sam Darry starting against what will be a big Pumas pack on Saturday. Josh Lord is on the bench. Is this lack of Test experience a concern for you? And what have you made of Darry, a man who didn’t seem overawed on debut against Fiji?
SS: Considering what the All Blacks have lost in terms of Test experience in the second row there is an awful lot of pressure on Darry and Vaa'i to step up in this first Test. I think the onus is on Codie Taylor to be accurate, too, at lineout time.
It's never ideal when a side loses a couple of genuine leaders, as Tuipulotu and Barrett are, and exacerbating this is the fact they each bring genuine mongrel to the role.
I'm not sure the Test will be decided at lineout time, but it was clear the inaccuracy in this area in the England series stymied the All Blacks' set piece strike plays.
Sam Darry obviously has the backing of the coaches and seems to have a clear head on broad shoulders. Speaking to him this week I could sense he has a clear determination to take his opportunities. Vaa'i at his best is a dynamic athlete but he'll be (or should be) keen to roll up the sleeves this weekend. Josh Lord has the chance to make a big impact.
You touched on Anton Lienert-Brown's selection. Most pundits are thinking of this decision as a zero-sum contest between ALB and Rieko Ioane. Do you think it's that simple, or does this in fact open other options in terms of bench strategy?
PM: No, it’s not zero sum because Billy Proctor is also firmly in the midfield mix after his performance on debut against Fiji. He wasn’t facing the defensive excellence of England but, regardless, his decision-making and distribution abilities were top notch. You say starting Lienert-Brown opens up the bench in terms of Ioane but it also opens up options on the left wing, in my opinion.
Remember when Ioane was the best left wing in the game for his finishing ability? I think he can still shine there and while the All Blacks have some pretty good options for the No.11 jersey in the form of Mark Tele’a and Caleb Clarke, it doesn’t hurt to have another card to play.
Talking of the bench, it was a point of difference for the All Blacks last month, I thought – a blast from the past, almost. That reflects well on Razor’s ability to create an environment where the younger players, including Wallace Sititi, are comfortable expressing themselves. At the other end of the scale this week is Will Jordan. Your thoughts on those two players at different stages of their international journey?
SS: We have spoken many times since the first squad selection this year about versatility and utility and when you think of the backline, apart from halfback and the two starting wings this weekend, there are adaptable players in every other position.
I think that's going to be a hallmark of this All Blacks side in the coming years. Beauden Barrett showed his value off the bench in the England series - the second Test in particular. Ioane and Jordan add significant value in that department this week, too.
New Zealand doesn't have the kinds of players that allow South Africa to roll up with the so-called 'bomb squad', utilising a shock and awe strategy through a 6-2 split, so their advantage lies in stacking a bench with a variety of options.
As for the two players you mentioned, you can't help but be excited by the return of Jordan. It's been a long time between Tests and he has obviously worked hard to get himself back in the frame. I will be intrigued to see how many minutes he gets first up, and suspect the game situation will dictate that. His looming return may well have sparked some renewed fire in Beauden Barrett.
I must admit, I am intrigued to see how Sititi grows in the role. There is no doubt he is a quick learner but seems to me a specialist No.8 and that's a tough spot to be when Ardie Savea appears to have a mortgage on that jersey. It does allow some switch plays in the last 30 minutes but with neither Savea nor Sititi a genuine lineout option (cf: Kieran Read) it does somewhat redefine that role in terms of how the All Blacks want to use the position.
We better talk about 10s. Does the selection of McKenzie again suggest the All Blacks have settled on their game driver for the season?
PM: Yes, I think the coaches were always going to give McKenzie time because that’s what’s required if he is to develop into a Test quality 10.
In saying that, I think Razor and company were genuinely surprised at Barrett’s form on his return from his Japan sabbatical, and there maybe something in your reference to the fire Jordan has lit under him.
Barrett is the only other live option for No.10 in my opinion, but right now he is clearly the best fit at fullback. Will that continue after Jordan is fully integrated back into Test rugby? Maybe not, but Jordan also presents as an excellent choice for the right wing, although Sevu Reece currently has that jersey sewn up, so to speak.
Either way, and as I have mentioned, the bench has suddenly become a weapon again and while, as you say, it doesn’t have the heavy-duty clout of the Boks’ bench, it has different but equally effective qualities.
Let’s start to wrap things up… the All Blacks will start big favourites at the Cake Tin, a place where they have struggled over recent years when losing to the Boks, Ireland, the British and Irish Lions… I could go on. The All Blacks are seeking big improvements regarding their execution on attack. Where exactly do you think they will have an edge on the Pumas?
SS: Cohesion, mostly. It’s always a complicated arrangement with the Pumas given their players are scattered across the globe. They have been soundly beaten in the last three contests and I think that pattern will continue in Wellington.
The All Blacks front row will have the better of the Argentines, and I think there will be just too much firepower on the outside for the Pumas to deal with.
It will be a tough contest for the locks and loose forwards, but they should have enough to ensure a steady supply of ball.
This team has now had enough time to understand the style of play the coaching group wants to see, and that competitive environment that has been talked about here and elsewhere this week should create a genuine hunger to perform.
The conditions may have a say, but I think there will be some genuine clarity from this All Blacks team and they are more than capable of pinning the Pumas in the right areas of the park. Accuracy will be word used often in the pre-match talk.
And for you, what are you expecting from the team as they launch phase two of a very long campaign?
PM: It’s hard to go past cohesion and accuracy. And I’ll bring it back to your early analogy of a rowing eight. As you and I know, it takes a little bit of magic, a collection greater than the sum of its parts, to make a boat go fast and that applies to rugby combinations too. Razor has swapped a few parts around and I suspect he will be happy with the overall results in his quest for gold.
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