With the highly anticipated North vs South game finally going ahead this Saturday, rugby fans were gifted with the starting line-ups for both teams.
Throughout, there seem to be surface discrepancies in terms of selection. But do these choices reflect how the All Blacks selectors are feeling?
The North Squad is evidently the stronger team with a close to All Black strength backline. All Blacks regulars such as Beauden Barret, Anton Leinert-Brown, and Reiko Ioane along with electrifying talent in Sevu Reece and Damien McLenzie, will add break out Super Rugby star Caleb Clarke to the mix.
The first selection that is certain to raise eyebrows comes with the no.9 jersey as TJ Perenara has been given the start over Aaron Smith. For years now, Smith has been getting the nod over Perenara and if these selectors were picking the All Blacks team, it would be hard to justify the same decision.
With Reiko Ioane in the centers for the North side, it firmly cements the sentiment that the All Blacks selectors would like to see the elusive star moving closer into the field. With so much up and coming talent in the outside backs, Clarke, Jordan, Reece, Peter Umaga-Jensen, it makes sense to move one of the game’s most exciting players closer infield, getting him more involved and to make room for others outside him.
The forward pack features big bodies and strong runners, with Ardie Savea, Akira Ioane, and Patrick Tuipulotu in the side. Dalton Papalii will come off the bench in order to add further ball running prowess.
The South team on paper doesn’t feature the same level of big names however throughout the line-up there are solid players that will look to continue the momentum of their successful Super Rugby campaigns.
Shannon Frizell and Tom Christie will be looking to do just that, Frizell especially after being one of the shining lights in an otherwise disappointing Highlander’s campaign. The rest of the forward pack, especially in the front row (Moody, Taylor, and Laulala), will give the North’s squad a real challenge throughout the match.
The backline is where the South squad seems to be outmatched, however the chemistry between players may prove to be the key. A majority crusaders backline featuring All blacks number 10 Richie Mo’unga, George Bridge, Jack Goodhue, Braydon Ennor, and Will Jordan will look to continue the blistering attack that won them the Super Rugby Aotearoa title this year.
Brad Weber and Jordie Barrett will have interesting matchups and again will be looking to fight their way into the All Black side. Leicester Faingaanuku off the bench will give the South side more pace and try-scoring ability.
GREGUS W
Roar Rookie
evidently allblack teams win through their forwards
Ben Gray
Roar Rookie
I reckon
Ben Gray
Roar Rookie
that ioane kick was daring
Ben Gray
Roar Rookie
fair enough, still keen to see it every year if it affected anything
Pundit
Roar Guru
Mounga was brilliant in playmaking . Josh iOAnne came on with a good cross-kick for the late try .
Morsie
Guest
I know the All Blacks are tough but playing a game like this just a week after giving birth is another level ffs!! Was it his first? What does his husband think?
Phantom
Roar Rookie
In which parallel universe is perenara better than smith.
Harry Selassie
Roar Rookie
Anytime I get the opportunity to watch Hoskins Sotutu play it is worth it. He is quickly becoming one of my favourite players to watch.
Harry Selassie
Roar Rookie
He is in my eyes the most notable absentee here.
Coker
Roar Rookie
The two biggest x-factor players at the moment — Mo'unga and Frizzell — are both in the South team. Also, it's 11 Crusaders, not 12, in the South starting XV — Laulala, Frizzell, Weber and J Barrett are the non-Crusaders.
Coker
Roar Rookie
This article must have been written by someone who's never left Auckland. Far from being "outmatched", the South looks to have the far stronger backline, especially as the North selectors have done the South a great favour by opting for Perenara over Smith. With the possible exceptions of halfback and Reece vs Jordan, the South are clearly stronger in every backline position. There's also dome dodgy arithmetic. North is described as having "a close to All Black strength backline", but the South backline has exactly the same number of ABs. The South XV apparently "doesn’t feature the same level of big names", but again has exactly the same number of ABs. The only area in which the North seems to have a clear advantage on paper is in the loose forwards, but even then the South have the premier player (Frizell) from soup rugby.
soapit
Roar Guru
yes it will be iknteresting how much combos suffer and whether the concentration of talent overcomes that
felix
Guest
Yes
Tooly
Roar Rookie
Certainly have some problems in the shaky isles.
Shooter McGavin
Guest
North will have the edge in the show pony department but the South has a better tight 5. South by 20.
timber
Guest
Me too. It sounds like the AB coaches think Boshier lacks physicality and power which seems to have become a very sought after commodity given the ABs were physically dominated by England. They do have a point, I think Boshier is better suited to no7 at test level.
Ben
Guest
WallabyJ..not saying it wont be, but traditionally Nth Sth games and even AB trials (which is what this really is) are not such great games...the potential is certainly there so lets hope so.
WallabyJ
Roar Rookie
New Zealand have it all going on this year with the disbandment of Super Rugby don't they! I am a die hard Aussie but am extremely excited to see the North vs South game tomorrow - it will most likely be the game of the year!
Ben
Guest
Im sure the eligibility issue with players playing for other countries has something to do with that...im surprised they got rid of it when they did.... "When is a player ‘captured’ by a country? Captured is the term used when a player becomes tied to one country and can no longer represent another nation on the international stage. This happens when a player plays for one of three teams: The senior 15-a-side national representative team of a union. This is quite simple and basically means playing in a Test match, eg England v Ireland in the Six Nations. The next senior 15-a-side national representative team of a union. This is where it gets slightly complicated as each union may have a different idea of what to nominate as their second team. It could be an A team, like England Saxons, but it’s up to each union to decide which team they want to designate as their ‘next senior’ side. In the past some unions have nominated their U20 side, but since the start of 2018 they are no longer able to do that. The senior national representative sevens team of a union where the player is aged 20 or older or, if at an Olympics or Sevens World Cup, the player has reached the age of majority (18)."
Carlin
Roar Rookie
The North team has some x-factor players right across the park but the South have 12 Crusaders in their starting lineup so they should be able to gel a lot better early on. The loose forward battle is the one that excites me the most. The North with the strong ball runners vs the South tackling machines.