The midfield mystery has been resolved leaving lock as the biggest selection question mark ahead of coach Steve Hansen’s All Blacks squad naming on Sunday.
Hansen confirmed departing inside centre Sonny Bill Williams will wear the No.12 jersey for the first two Tests against the Wallabies in the inaugural four-nation Rugby Championship – in Sydney on August 18 and Auckland on August 25.
Williams is expected to get permission to play the Tests from Japanese club Panasonic, delaying the start of their lucrative deal.
Veteran Test inside centre Ma’a Nonu and Tamati Ellison will be Hansen’s prime candidates at centre in place of the injured Conrad Smith while utility Ben Smith is a fourth midfield option.
Even though Williams is on the verge of leaving New Zealand rugby, Hansen said there was no thought given to developing other midfield talent in the two Wallabies Tests.
“It’s obvious that we’re interested in using Sonny for a couple of weeks while he is still contracted to New Zealand, particularly as Panasonic are going to come to the party and support us,” Hansen told reporters.
“We’d be foolish not to use him. He’s in outstanding form.”
Williams and other players from the Chiefs weren’t considered for a two-day All Blacks camp in Wellington this week as they prepare for the Super Rugby final against the Sharks on Saturday in Hamilton.
Hansen admitted he would use the final to assess the form of Chiefs lock and captain Craig Clarke, who has emerged as an All Blacks candidate.
However, the uncapped Clarke, who turns 29 on Tuesday, is battling a knee injury and might not play the final, throwing uncertainty over Hansen’s locking mix.
Fringe candidates Jason Eaton and Jarrad Hoeata haven’t been included in the camp. Ali Williams and Luke Romano have but both are injured and unlikely to be fit for the August Tests.
Romano suffered a shoulder injury in the semi-final loss to the Chiefs, leaving Crusaders teammate Sam Whitelock as the only fit lock at the camp. He is likely to be joined on Sunday by Chiefs youngster Brodie Retallick.
hemimac
Guest
Rugby league world cup next year that's wea sbw going
hemimac
Guest
Hey guys sbw will play for the kiwi next year in the rugby league world cup yea boi our answer to Greg lnglis mean match up what you guys reckon
Kuruki
Roar Guru
By all reports they sound like they have given the go ahead. I am expecting him to really dominate the Aussie midfield and give us some real good front foot attacking ball.
WQ
Guest
Another excellent opportunity to allow SBW to once again make his knockers look silly. They keep bagging him and he just keeps coming up with the goods! Hopefully the Japanese connections will allow this to go ahead.
stainlesssteve
Guest
what is so superior about a signed contract over a handshake? what means more to him is what means more to him. nobody else knows, and besides, would you want him to play rugby like a robot? people with flair and creativity, they change their minds a lot. leave him alone. run round the block a few times. get some fresh air.
mania
Guest
i'd forgotten who i was blogging with when i came up with it. thanx for the reminder.
Jutsie
Guest
Yeah I think we were discussing this in the Conrad injury article, I mentioned the option on the planet rugby website poll of 10 cruden, 12 carter, 13 nonu as I was thinking more of the aussie style playmaker at 12 and crash ball type at 13 but your right carter at 13 is a more like for like replacement for smith and is less of a backline shuffle.
Riccardo
Guest
Seconded OJ. Realistically, unless he is playing for Japan or Europe he's going to make more money from Boxing and brand endorsements anyway. The cross-code exposure makes his brand (I hate the word) more marketable.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
To negotiate what? The maximum the NZRU can offer him are the contracts McCaw and Carter are which are less than a Japanese or European club can offer him but include sabbaticals should either want a pay day. They would have had to offer him the Japanese club option (ala Nonu) and boxing to resign him. The reality is that if he returns to NZ it will only be for the 2014 and 15 seasons and then he'll be off again probably back to France. He's not going to spend the rest of his sporting career playing rugby in NZ like some would hope.
CraigB
Roar Guru
Quade hasn't walked out on any contracts as far as I know. Quade just needs to stay off the drink. Not saying he's an alco or anything but just makes dumb decisions when he's out. Otherwise he seems like a decent bloke. His so called cheap shots on Ritchie were dumb not so much because he did them, but they were so open. Ritchie's smarter because he does his cheap nasty stuff where it's harder to see. I am hopeful that his injury has given him time to put things into perspective. I know he got into trouble with kurtley early but aside from that he appears more controlled. We'll have to wait and see. Once again I need to state that I see no issue wit sbw and his latest deal, it's the myth making going with it by doe eyed NZers that does my head in.
CraigB
Roar Guru
You would if signing with the Nzru meant no Japanese contract. As I said he makes amends with the Nrl then comes back to the Nzru negiotating table with maximum options available to him. Good business planning.
mania
Guest
if you wanted to make more money you wouldnt be going from a multi japanese contract to the NRL.
mania
Guest
Jutsie - fully agree. like i said i dont support this decision because SBW tho good isnt irreplaceable and ellison is easily a better like for like swap for conradSmith. nonu i've always felt has been the better 12 this year based on the fact that despite playing for blues he's been consistent and one of the few attacking and defending effectively. but i was thinking a better backline would've been cruden -10 , nonu -12 and out of left field carter in 13. carter has the vision to exploit or cover any defensive holes ala conrad.
Sircoolalot
Guest
I have to agree with CraigB. I'm a big fan of SBW myself, he's a tremendous athlete with natural flair and i love to watch him play. But lets be honest! this thing about him going back to league because of a "hand shake" agreement is a joke. As Craig says he has a track record of walking out on a contract, so there is no reason to believe him now. He wants to make a load of cash, play rugby league the code he prefers and/or expand his "brand". Got no problems with it myself, it's the way that pro sport is. But let's be real here lads.
kevin mac
Guest
I would totally agree about ellison being played rather than SBW if the ABs were playing any team other than the wallabies and springboks. If the 1st 2 games were against the pumas then i highly doubt hansen would have picked him. but this is the ozzies- no walk-over. They need to be shown respect and never taken lightly...and ellison aint the man for the job- not yet anyway. Hansen wants to win as much for his team and country as for his own reputation, record and legacy- especialy when his predecessor had an 85% winning record. And as he succinctly said, you would be foolish to ignore SBW. Ellison is nowhere at SBWs level, and nonu himself is currently not at SBWs level. Basically, you would be hard-pressed to find a better 12 in the world than SBW. Besides, if SBW is still contracted to the NZRU then why wouldn't you use him? Don't you want to squeeze the most out of your prized investment? Anyone against SBWs inclusion are probably just Ozzies quaking in their boots, wishing for an easier run with ellison or co.
Geoff Brisbane
Guest
So if that is your take on sonnybill what does that say about quade?
Wal The Hooker
Guest
Have to say Justie I tend to agree Nonu/Ellison combo. Nonu always performs in the black jumper and Ellison has been in outstanding form this season. He's been in the AB environment before and I reckon he'll step if given the opportunity. In any other nation he'd definitely challenge for a spot IMHO... Should be a cracker test series. Can't deny SBW's form but you've gotta place some faith in other players who are capable
CraigB
Roar Guru
Informed opinion. It's a fairly accepted principle that past performance or behaviour is a good indicator of future behaviors. The fact he walked out on a legal contract suggests he doesn't place much stock in binding agreements. Hence I don't think it's too much of a stretch to believe the story of going back to league based on a handshake agreement is utter tripe. Again I have no issue with it or him. I just like to separate fairy tale from fact. This claim that he doesn't want to go but must, is ridiculous. He wants BIG Japanese money and to be loved in RL again. Its all about increasing his marketability so when it comes time to negotiate with the NZRU he does so from a position of strength as he has maximum options available to him. It makes good business sense so well done SBW.
Eddie
Guest
Utter tripe CraigB? Personal or informed opinion? Care to expand?
you can understand why Hansen is using SBW, Conrad Smith won't be there so taking SBW and Smith out of the equation would have presented him to experiment which I doubt he wants to do against OZ.