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Piri Weepu’s impressive return from injury has made halfback the main area of selection contention in a largely settled All Blacks team at the Rugby World Cup.
Weepu broke his leg playing for Wellington in New Zealand’s National Provincial Championship in late 2010 and missed most of the early part of this season during a long and troubled recovery.
His selection to start in the All Blacks team that beat France 37-17 on Saturday, the toughest pool match, suggests Weepu, with surprising speed, has usurped Jimmy Cowan and Andy Ellis as New Zealand’s first choice halfback.
But the selection issue around the No.9 jersey is more complicated than it may appear.
For a start, all the three players vying for the role have different qualities and styles.
Cowan, who was the incumbent No.9 before the World Cup began, is a strong and bruising player who excels in the clinches around breakdowns.
Ellis may have a slightly better passing game than both other contenders but Weepu’s kicking and running have developed and may give him the edge.
Weepu also has the ability to cover flyhalf and that adds a new layer of complexity to the scrumhalf contest as New Zealand approaches the knockout rounds.
Colin Slade, who was selected as Daniel Carter’s understudy at flyhalf in New Zealand’s 30-man World Cup squad, hasn’t yet produced a completely confident performance.
When the All Blacks come to the knockout rounds of a tournament they haven’t won for 24 years, it’s not entirely certain they will opt for Slade on the bench, instead may favour Weepu and his experience of more than 50 Tests.
Weepu’s versatility, until recently, had him consigned to the bench and he might return to that role to cover both positions.
For that reason, he savoured the time he spent on the field on Saturday, an impressive 45 minutes before he was replaced.
“I thought I could have stayed on a bit longer but I was pretty happy with the game time that I got,” Weepu said.
Coming back from injury “has been tough, but from where I was last year to where I am now is a huge improvement,” he added.
Weepu wouldn’t be drawn into the question of which of three scrumhalves is now the coaches’ preferred choice.
He acknowledged the contest but said the three contenders were supportive of each other and placed the best interests of the team ahead of personal rivalry.
“Obviously the coaches want to have a look at all three of us and at this stage I just take it as it comes really,” he said.
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.