Analysis: The All Blacks, and new right wing Emoni Narawa, are getting ready to counter an aerial bombardment at Eden Park, writes Patrick McKendry.
As is the norm, the All Blacks are preparing for anything while expecting the obvious from the Springboks at Eden Park – the obvious being as subtle as a kick in the backside or, to put it more specifically, constant kicks into the night sky.
It is part of the reason why Emoni Narawa has replaced Sevu Reece on the right wing in what is the only change to a back three which has been underwhelming over the past couple of Tests.
Narawa’s expertise under the high ball and his willingness to chase potential lost causes, as well as his counter-attacking ability, makes the Bay of Plenty 26-year-old a key selection for Scott Robertson.
Robertson believes the Boks will attempt to put the squeeze on his side on Saturday via what for them is a potentially low-risk aerial bombardment.
But there is a danger in that too – kick too far or too short without a Plan B and the whole strategy can collapse, especially when combined with no-nonsense English referee Karl Dickson who will likely take a firmer grip of the breakdown than what the All Blacks experienced under Nic Berry in Buenos Aires recently.
Robertson’s willingness to drop Reece, who scored two tries against the Pumas in Cordoba but was not at his best a week later in the defeat in Buenos Aires should serve as a warning to Rieko Ioane on the left wing.
Indeed, the man known as Razor hinted as much as he announced his team to the media in Auckland today.
“Rieko’s got his opportunity,” Robertson said. “He’s at home, he’s spent a lot of time on this field. He’s got a lot of skin in the [unbeaten] record and it’s his opportunity on Saturday to show it.”
Robertson was asked: What do you want to see from Ioane?
“We want the best out of him,” was the response.
As for Narawa, who is significantly taller than Reece and these days probably possesses more of a long-range counter-attacking threat, the challenge is obviously a welcome one.
After making his Test debut against Argentina in 2023, Narawa, a quick and balanced runner, has struggled with injury and has played only three Tests in total.
Appearing relaxed in front of the media at his team’s waterfront hotel today, Narawa said he didn’t want to “get too caught up in the build-up” and was clear about what was coming from the world champions.
“The high ball is part of our game,” he said. “Obviously with South Africa that contestable stuff is part of their game. We’ve got a good plan around it so hopefully we’ll be able to execute it on Saturday.”
Robertson said of the reason for Narawa’s selection in the No.14 jersey: “His aerial skills. His edge defence. His back field coverage. It [aerial bombardment] is coming. It’s a great opportunity for him and it gives us great balance in our back three.
“It’s critical for us to win the air. We’ve done the reps we needed this week and the boys are looking forward to that.”
Further, he said: “We know what’s coming from them. We expect the unexpected but also where the ball is going to get returned to you.”
Elsewhere, Robertson gave a hint to his thinking when explaining the reasons behind Simon Parker’s start on the blindside flank in his second Test, with lock Fabian Holland moving to the bench to make way for Tupou Vaa’i.
As Robertson said, Vaa’i recently considered more of a No.6, played extremely well at lock against the Boks in the two defeats in South Africa last year and will play a role in attempting to disrupt the visitors’ lineout.
It also gives Holland a chance to provide impact off the bench and, with Tamaiti Williams, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tyrel Lomax and Du’Plessis Kirifi fellow pack members there, the potential for impact from the big men is large.
“It’s going to be a big front row battle,” Robertson said. “There are some big boys coming on and it’s nice and timely that Tyrel’s back [from a hand injury]. That’s the exciting part from us. We like to scrum.
“He’ll finish strong – he’s got enough Test matches under his belt," he said of Holland. "We wanted to have Tupou in the scrum - he’s a strong scrummager, one of our best. When the game opens up, well, I don’t know if it will open up, Fabian can come on and use that size.”
Open up? It is probably unlikely, as he said.
The Boks will attempt to put the squeeze on the All Blacks and hope the weight of expectation from the crowd helps them to a first win at the old ground since 1937.
The potential problem with such a narrow game plan is that the All Blacks’ lineout and scrum is in good shape, as Robertson acknowledged.
What else is he expecting?
“The ferocity of the Test, that’s what we’ve acknowledged – the physical contact – games are won off that and the ability to do it over and over again.”
All Blacks team to play Springboks
at Eden Park on Saturday, kick-off 7.05pm:
All Blacks match-day 23 (Test caps in brackets; * denotes debut)
1. Ethan de Groot (34), 2. Codie Taylor (100), 3. Fletcher Newell (27), 4. Scott Barrett (83), (captain), 5. Tupou Vaa’i (42), 6. Simon Parker (1), 7. Ardie Savea (99) (Vice-Captain), 8. Wallace Sititi (11), 9. Finlay Christie (25), 10. Beauden Barrett (138), 11. Rieko Ioane (85), 12. Jordie Barrett (73) (vice-captain), 13. Billy Proctor (6), 14. Emoni Narawa (3), 15. Will Jordan (46).
Reserves: 16. Samisoni Taukei’aho (35), 17. Tamaiti Williams (19), 18. Tyrel Lomax (45), 19. Fabian Holland (5), 20. Du’Plessis Kirifi (4), 21. Kyle Preston*, 22. Quinn Tupaea (17), 23. Damian McKenzie (66)
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