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It appears Jerome Kaino is bound for France at the end of the Super Rugby season.
The 34-year-old Blues flanker has been a mainstay of the All Blacks for 81 Tests, winning two World Cups, but missed much of 2017, which presented several replacements the opportunity to usurp the veteran.
Nobody fully grasped their chance, so who will emerge in 2018 as the next Jerome Kaino?
Last season, Liam Squire was the most frequent choice in the 6 jersey, earning seven caps. Squire was good, but went missing in the Brisbane defeat to Australia.
Combined with a startling turn of pace, Squire has the size to physically dominate, but has yet to cement his spot.
Vaea Fifita made a spectacular start against Argentina, but lacked consistency in subsequent appearances. Fifita is easily the most exciting of the athletes available, but does he have the work rate to command a regular starting berth?
Luke Whitelock was a midweek captain, is consistent and tireless, but he lacks the explosiveness of Squire and Fifita.
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Elliot Dixon has fallen out of favour. An underwhelming three Tests in 2016 was followed by omission form the end of year tour. At his best, Dixon was a commanding figure in a Super Rugby final. Can he recapture top form?
Ardie Savea was the top tackler in Super Rugby last year, but the busy and dynamic openside appears to have slipped behind Sam Cane and Matt Todd as the third preferred openside.
Cane had his best season in All Black colours in 2017 and having captained his country is a clear favourite of the selectors, but could he switch to the blindside? Todd is a defensive trojan, but doesn’t offer the same attacking spark as Savea, who appears to lack the presence at the breakdown of the former two.
Could Savea and Cane both appear in the loose? Sacrificing some size for additional speed might add a different dimension to the All Blacks’ attack and be a telling point of difference in the November Test against the English.
Brad Shields is England bound. The 26-year-old has been knocking on the door for sometime, but has lost patience and won’t be considered.
Jordan Taufua is an explosive force in the Crusaders, but his lack of height seems to have counted against him and he is likely to join Kaino in the overseas exodus.
Who will cement their claim as the best six in New Zealand? This is one of the most fascinating questions ahead of the Super Rugby season.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.