The All Blacks did not add to their casualty list in Perth but it remains extensive, with Tupou Vaa’i, Tyrel Lomax, Noah Hotham and Emoni Narawa all unavailable for their northern tour.
Crucially, however, first-five Beauden Barrett will be available for a tour which starts with a Test against Ireland in Chicago on November 2 and continues against Scotland in Edinburgh, England in London and Wales in Cardiff – a “Grand Slam” trip in theory if one overlooks the venue for the clash against the Irish.
Barrett damaged an AC joint (shoulder) during his team’s victory over Australia at Eden Park and was not available for the recent rematch at Optus Stadium won 28-14 by the All Blacks.
Damian McKenzie started in his place and struggled to impose himself during a match played in torrential rain in the second half. McKenzie kicked two important penalties after the break but missed four shots at goal, including three relatively simple conversions.
Barrett, the incumbent No.10, will be expected to bring stronger control to the All Blacks’ attack, although in his absence brother Jordie played with more freedom at second-five and McKenzie did defend well.
Lock Vaa’i requires surgery for a torn meniscus (knee), prop Lomax needs a thumb operation after breaking it again, halfback Hotham has an ankle injury and wing Narawa has damaged ribs from an incident during the All Blacks’ victory over the Springboks at Eden Park.
Wing Caleb Clarke is making good progress from an ankle sprain and will tour, as will prop Ethan de Groot, who was ruled out of the Perth Test due a mandatory stand-down period for concussion.
The All Blacks will take a squad of 36 on tour, with head coach Scott Robertson working in with his All Blacks XV counterpart Jamie Joseph on potential cover during the trip as Joseph’s team play a Barbarians team in London on November 2 and England A in Bath a week later.
One of the most positive aspects of the past four weeks, during in which the All Blacks beat the Boks and then collapsed against them a week later, and retained the Bledisloe Cup at Eden Park before backing up in the rematch, is the way men such as Clarke, Leroy Carter, Peter Lakai, Leicester Fainga’anuku and Quinn Tupaea have taken their chances.
“We have some great depth and competition,” Robertson said yesterday. “We’ve given some guys a crack at it and they’ve taken it. Test footy it takes a lot out of you mentally and physically, so we’re really pleased we’re building that depth and competition.”
Despite his team’s inconsistency in the Rugby Championship, they were still in with a chance of winning it after dispatching the Australians in one of their better performances of the year.
Unfortunately for Argentina, who started extremely well against South Africa at Twickenham, their pack could not cope with the pressure exerted by the Boks and ultimately succumbed 29-27 in an entertaining Test.
The Boks’ win allowed them to retain the trophy on points differential.
“They were in it,” Robertson said of the Pumas. “We know how they can play. To push the Springboks until right to the end there just shows how deep their squad is and how well coached they are.”
In reflecting on the season, Robertson said the importance of the aerial game and set piece contest had again been underlined – the Boks had a clear edge in both against the All Blacks.
“It would have been nice to have another crack at them but we’ll have plenty of chances next year so we’re looking forward to that,” he said, in reference to his team’s four-Test, eight-match tour of South Africa.
With a 7-2 win-loss record so far this year, the All Blacks’ failure to back up performances in losses in Buenos Aires and Wellington are the major disappointments.
Asked to name his biggest lessons of the Championship, Robertson said: “The ability to win those critical moments like we did [on Saturday] whether it’s through the bench or working with the referee … there are a couple of things that didn’t quite go our way with a couple of calls… but you have to adapt to those.”
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