All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has proven through the early stages of his tenure that he isn’t averse to the odd selection surprise, but there’s no such shock inclusion in the gameday squad announced to face Scotland in Edinburgh on Sunday morning.
Coaching staff hinted strongly throughout the week that they would be looking to their best against the Scots, who have run the All Blacks close – at times dangerously – in recent years, eager to put their stamp of authority on European soil in their opening tour match.
The team’s schedule makes any decisions around rest and rotation almost a moot point. With the relatively limp threat of Wales looming next weekend, Rennie and his staff have the luxury of running out their first-choice side against Scotland, with the Welsh offering an opportunity to blood some of the squad’s fringe selections in Cardiff.
Then it’s all hands back on deck for England at Twickenham, before negotiating what they hope will an additional bonus Test in the form of the inaugural Nations Championship final at the same venue the following Monday.
The only changes to the starting XV which put the Wallabies to the sword in Sydney are a pair of welcome injury returns, with Ethan de Groot back at loosehead prop and second-five Jordie Barrett, who is arguably the best player on the planet right now. A pretty handy asset to call upon, to put it mildly.
After being curiously omitted for the Bledisloe opener at Eden Park, Fabian Holland has clearly reasserted himself as a first-choice lock, and rightly so given the venom with which he laid waste to the Aussies at Accor Stadium the following week.
Second-row cohort Scott Barrett has been equally undeniable. The Crusaders veteran seems to be relishing playing without the inherent pressures of captaincy.
As Jason Ryan noted earlier this week, Barrett has injected the pack with an invaluable dose of horsepower, which has been most evident in the All Blacks’ steadier scrum.
The loose forward trio of Tupou Vaa’i, Wallace Sititi and Peter Lakai pick themselves - the latter two in particular among the All Blacks’ best against the Australians – as does the backline, with Damian McKenzie a lock to reprise his No. 10 role while Richie Mo’unga continues his recovery from a calf tear.
The most contentious position among the outsides is on the wing, where Fehi Fineanganofo has been overlooked in favour of Josh Moorby.
Unavailable during the Bledisloe series due to injury, the breakout Hurricanes star has had limited opportunities to prove his value at Test level after exploding on to the Super Rugby scene, with just one Test appearance off the bench this year.
Given the All Blacks’ schedule, it seems we may only have a chance to see him against Wales, at least in the starting side.
The most interesting talking points this weekend come on the bench, where Christian Lio-Willie – recalled for the European tour – has been named to make his first Test appearance since last year’s expedition when he came off the bench against Wales.
“Christian’s had a great season, and with Tupou (Vaa’i) starting at six, we're keen to have a couple of loose forwards on the bench who we think can offer impact,” Rennie explained. “But he's looked really good.”
Rennie is also keeping his power dry with Leicester Fainga’anuku, meaning All Blacks fans will need to wait until – reading between the Rennie lines – next week before seeing how innovatively the coaching staff look to use the Crusader’s unique hybrid talents.
“We just wanted to get another decent week of training into him,” Rennie said of Fainga’anuku’s non-selection. “He'll push for a spot next week.”
Anton Lienert-Brown has missed out in favour of Timoci Tavatavanawai, who was called in to start the second Bledisloe Cup Test after the late scratch of Jordie Barrett,
Rennie believes he offers the side a “point of difference” with his impact with ball in hand and at the ruck against tiring opposition late in the contest – a role much-better suited to his power game after fading in the later stages against the Australians.
With Cortez Ratima earning the nod as back-up halfback, the head coach conceded there’s “not an enormous amount” separating him from Kyle Preston, favouring the speed and energy the Chiefs star provides.
At stake will be the All Blacks’ flawless 121-year record against their hosts, which includes a staggering streak of 20 games undefeated at Murrayfield dating back to 1935.
No other team in Test history boasts such a dominant stretch at an opposition ground.
“There’s been a proud history, and our team we want to build on what's been done in the past,” Rennie said of their record.
“There’s no doubt some some guys might use what you'd call fear as motivation, but you’ve got to address it. You got to be aware of it. But then you know we've got to look at how do we add to the to the legacy and what's happened in the past. So, that's how we frame it.”
SHARE ME