The standard of play in the New Zealand Conference of Super Rugby has been vastly superior to that of any of the other conferences.
On actual points New Zealand teams make up four of the top five places in the championship standings.
The All Black selectors will be enthused by the emergence of young talent like Damien McKenzie and delighted with the form of perennial contenders like Ryan Crotty.
However a concern that still lingers is the standard of goal-kicking. Replacing the 1598 Test points Daniel Carter scored was never going to be easy, but who will actually kick goals for the All Blacks from now on?
If an 80 per cent success rate is the mark considered to be a world class goal-kicker then the All Blacks don’t have one at present.
Below are the regular Kiwi kickers in Super Rugby and their respective success rates.
•Lima Sopoaga – Highlanders, 29/38 (76%)
•Ihaia West – Blues, 31/42 (74%)
•Damien McKenzie – Chiefs, 37/51 (73%)
•Richie Mo’unga – Crusaders, 30/47 (%)
•Beauden Barrett – Hurricanes, 31/51 (61%)
The next question to ask is who of these players are contenders for the All Blacks? Despite his promise Mo’unga it would appear is a long way down the first-five pecking order so he is immediately eliminated.
Ihaia West is the only other player among the kickers listed above not to have played a Test. West would rank behind Aaron Cruden, Sopoaga and Barrett as a contender for the All Blacks ten jersey, but interestingly he might be the most accurate Super rugby standard kicker in the country.
In the 2015 ITM Cup West kicked 49/64 (77%) and he was even better in Super Rugby slotting 38/44 (86%). West is a very good goal kicker.
Sopoaga is the leading kicker this year, but he has the benefit of playing his home games in an enclosed Stadium. During last season’s Super Rugby however he only kicked at 69 per cent.
He kicked 26/31 in the ITM Cup and 5/7 in his only All Black Test in the caldron of Ellis Park. Sopoaga’s numbers overall are pretty good, but will be considered ahead of Cruden and Barrett.
Barrett has played 36 Tests, but only eight as a starter of which two were at fullback. He has been promoted to the All Blacks leadership group which suggests more Test caps beckon. However his numbers as a leading or back-up kicker are alarming.
In Super Rugby in 2015 he only kicked 41/64 (64%). Goal kicking is a major Achilles’ heel for arguably the best attacking pivot in the competition and a player who has made a genuine impact at Test level.
Aaron Cruden has scored 280 points in 37 Tests and has been a reliable kicker at international level. However he has only taken three attempts this season for one success. Last year he kicked 34/46 (74%) in Super Rugby. Can Cruden step up again?
Young Damien McKenzie is the other contender for the kicking. He has kicked 37/51 (73%) in Super Rugby and kicked 39/50 (78%) in the 2015 ITM Cup. However will the 20-year-old crack the experienced World Champion team and does anyone know about some of his past frailties with the boot?
In the 2015 Super Rugby season he kicked a modest 16/25 (64%) and at Christ’s College just three years ago his kicking boots went missing in two of the biggest games of the season.
In nationally televised fixtures against Christchurch Boys’ High School and Otago Boys’ High School he missed a combined total often kicks across both games as Christ’s lost each contest by one and three points respectively.
The first person chosen for any team must surely be the goal-kicker. Who kicks for the All Blacks in 2016?
ShaghaiDoc
Guest
Goal kicking stats can often be misleading as they do not include the position on the field where kicks are made or missed. Taking this into account one may uncover that BB is a good kicker for shots that are not straight out in front. The kicker for a team which scores mostly under the posts may appear to better than one from a team which sends the ball out to the wings. The Horrorcanes No14 is also a handy kicker so why does the QB have to make the kicks?
lassitude
Guest
Okey Geffin
Fox Saker
Guest
Sopoaga is kicking at 83% according to the NZ Herald...so he could get the nod
Kuruki
Roar Guru
For someone who is Not Bothered, you seem to be bothered by the smallest things.
Kuruki
Roar Guru
Tameifuna.
Kuruki
Roar Guru
Oh and i forgot about Macilai, he is playing some great rugby.
Kuruki
Roar Guru
I'm not writing them off or saying they are not a good team, i may have been a bit harsh but i still believe in recent years gone by they have lacked enough X factor in the backs to benefit from a dominant pack. If you don't agree just look at the results, if they have been as good out wide as you say, how have they not won a title in years? having had the best pack in super rugby season after season?. Yes Dan Carter and Israel Dagg had X factor but they were both very average in the Crusaders jumper in recent years compared to the x factor we know they had. Dagg has started this season well i admit. Colin Slade had a bit of X Factor i have to say, his biggest weapon however was his rugby nous. Fruean has been a non event through his health issues and injury, his contribution has been average at best. Johnny McNichol has X factor and that is his speed he is one of the current crop who does have X Factor. Andy Ellis is just a very good player, he doesn't have X factor imo. The rookies could become brilliant players, but non of them are X factor players at this stage. They are what i call "heady" players which means they have good rugby nous and use that to their advantage more then their physical attributes eg strength, speed or footwork. The Crusaders young guys Havilli and Mounga are very good players, they are well rounded, however they don't have the same X Factor as players like Damien McKenzie, Reiko Ioane, Milner Skudder etc. Marty McKenzie struggled to have an impact at the Chiefs and i don't see him becoming a go to player for the Crusaders heading into the future. Nemani Nadolo is clearly the king of X factor in the Crusaders backline, there is a big gap back to McNichol and then there is daylight. In recent years they are the only two current Crusaders backs who have featured in the top 10 stats (McNichol only a few times) in the key areas when your looking for an X factor player. Tries, offloads, defenders beaten, tackle breaks, meters etc (Dagg featured only in meters a few years ago) I like the Crusaders, i'm not a hater, i'm simply stating that i think they have lacked the balance in the backline to do the damage behind the best pack in the comp. They have actively targeted well rounded players, rather then raw x factor in most cases, and that has led to an unbalanced attack lacking the killer punch. If you put the Chiefs or Hurricanes backlines behind the Crusaders pack they would have won the title every year. I guess we can all sit back now and see how the Crusaders backline handles having Nemani Nadolo suspended. Imo they will struggle to threaten outwide.
Not Bothered
Guest
Oh please! In 2015 they had ABs Crotty, Slade, Taylor, Carter, Ellis, Dagg along with Fruean and Nadolo. Theyve always had and still have one of the best backlines in Super Rugby. X factor!? Like Fruean, Dagg, Nadolo, Havili? But theyve lost 1 game this year, not their last game, in their last game they destroyed Australias great hope. People keep writing the Saders off and I guess its because they are only one of the best teams, not the best by miles as they were for a long time but ffs the Saders team and backline are very good, one of the best and is very balanced.
Sylvester
Guest
I saw Damian play at school level as well, looked amazing. In saying that, Marty also looked a million dollars at Christ's but hasn't really kicked on as quickly. Canterbury did want Damian but the Chiefs snared him. He prob saw the three AB first fives in his path at the Crusaders and that helped make up his mind.
moaman
Roar Guru
Barrett's style can't be 'wrong'---a style is an individual thing----but i have noticed he seems to stab at the ball from quite a square on position; at least that is my impression....I haven't got the facilities to record and slow-mo anymore so it could do with some proper analysis. The Caketin has a weird swirling wind-pattern and can be hell on goalkickers.I wouldn't judge Barrett or any other kicker on a performance there.But he has been inconsistent consistently and it's an area of concern.I thought he played really well in the Chiefs game--particularly the first half and the last 10 to 15. I'm sure if he devotes a bit of extra time to his kicking we will see an improvement.Right now you wouldn't want your mortgage on one of his shots at goal. ps CUW It's a big call to pull a kicker----can damage a player's confidence,not a decision to be made lightly.
Not Bothered
Guest
Its bo11ocks. Thats what it is. It goes along with all those cliches that people spout off over and over again which have no truth to them. The game is won and lost in the forwards. Bo11ocks. The tighthead is always the first man picked. Bo11ocks. You make your own luck. Bo11ocks. I prefer sayings with some truth to them like, the tighthead is often a very important member of a team, sometimes the most important. Simple really.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Die Hard, the second person picked is the reserve tighthead.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
It's a figure of speech. Simply highlighting that it is an important position. One often overlooked when the spotlight is shone on the stars of the team.
Not Bothered
Guest
The first person picked is hardly ever the tighthead. They figured out years ago that if they pick another position first that the tighthead options dont magically change and become worse, so there is no point in always picking a tighthead or any other position first.
Not Bothered
Guest
well I doubt that school boys rugby will feature heavily in Hansens selection process and he will be well aware that players improve at skills over the years. D.McKenzie will be an AB this year as will all the options youve listed except Ihia West.
Simoc
Guest
First time I've noticed this Adam, not crying his eyes out rather pathetically about sledging.
CUW
Guest
yesss cruden will start at 10 , if fit. then the toss is between spoaga and barrett. mckenzie will be on the bench - now that dagg is in form and the all blacks lack a right wing. imo , the reason barrett kept on taking the kicks in the last match was becoz its his lifeline to all blacks. spoaga kicks well , barrett can break the line well. now which will be preferred by hansen.
CUW
Guest
they lost becoz of poor decisionmaking. when barrett was kicking them astray , they had the option to go with woodward but then the egos played a role and they continued with barrett. the only kick woodward took, went right in the middle. woodward after all was , rebels kicker in 2014. at halftime show, michael lynah said barrett's style is all wrong and he needs to go back and learn (too open and lacking dierection). surely he knows a thing or two about kicking.
CUW
Guest
well during the last five years they did have guys like tom taylor , dan carter , tyler bleyendaal, dagg , freuen crotty slade among the backs. dont forget one reason rob thomson left crusaders is becoz he could not get a gig. this year they brought in the u20 skipper , who has been injured throughout. they also got Damien's bro Marty in addition to Mounga , who was the u20 kicker when Hickey did not play. so it is not fair to say the crusaders do not have had backs, but it may be correct to say they have been hit with a spate of injuries (like carter crotty freuen) . also suddenly they lost like 4 guys from the backs (taylor carter slade and bleyendaal). now all 4 of them are goal kickers and flyhalf centr fullback players. that kind of loss cannot be rectified easily, especailly the quality of carter and slade.
Gilbert
Guest
Sopoaga on current form. Hansen will use all tested 10s, Crudes, Sops and Beuds, this year. Building up for 2017 Lions series.