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After much shuffling in the second half of the Southern Hemisphere season the All Blacks selectors will have been earning their coin this week as they sat down to decide not only the All Black squad for the End of Year Tour with matches against Japan, Wales, Scotland and England, but an All Black XV, which by the way doesn’t mean you are an All Black nor does it bind you to nationality at senior level yet I understand, but I bet you it does fall under the commercial revenue arm of the All Blacks.
This side will be playing the excellent Emerging Ireland side and the Barbarians, coached by the seemingly increasingly distant Scott Robertson. The All Blacks selected by the New Zealand selectors will be coached by Leon McDonald who has a free hand as to how they will play, no following the All Black game plan if he doesn’t want to.
Quick note: what follows are the selections I see as the big choices, not two complete squad lists.
And this leads to the big question: do the fringe All Blacks who have been carrying tackle bags all season stay with the senior side, or do they head off with the McDonald side and get some valuable playing time against good quality opposition, albeit below Test level?
Or is the option going to be there to switch between the two squads depending on match requirements? For example, does Stephen Perofeta get minutes off the bench versus Japan and then head off with the AB XV, or is there some mixture of both?
What we do know is the All Black XV will include the first cabs off the rank should those in the senior squad go down injured.
When thinking about the senior squad there doesn’t appear to be too much room for experimentation but there is a place to send a message, both about the type of players needed for the game plan they are now running, and for those who really haven’t hit the level required.
The front row picks itself: Aiden Ross gets the third loosehead gig, hookers are as per the program but only one of the previously favoured Nepo Laulala, Angus Ta’avao or Ofa Tu’ungafasi gets a seat on the plane. Ofa based on the fact he can play both sides and put in a real shift when back in the NPC.
For the AB XV, Tamaiti Williams, Asafo Aumua and Oli Jager should all be staying close to their phones.
All of a sudden New Zealand has some big promising locks coming out of the woodwork. In the senor squad out goes Patrick Tuipulotu replaced by Josh Dickson who has been training with the side for a good part of this year and has earned his shot in the trenches of Super Rugby.
The four locks of The Rugby Championship side all continue but I am wondering whether we might be seeing more of Scott Barrett starting and big Brodie Retallick from the bench as we go on.
(Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)
For the XV, they are spoilt for choice. Manaaki Selby-Rickit must be getting close, Sam Darry is one to watch, while Fabian Holland is demanding a step up.
Loose forwards, and it’s time to be harsh – not only does Akira Ioane have to give up his shirt, but the feeling that Hoskins Sotutu may never quite make the step keeps growing so he is off to the AB XV to get some game time where he needs to show that physical game at the next level.
Shannon Frizell, Sam Cane and Ardie Savea will be the first choices, the forward Barrett is 6 cover, Dalton Papali’I showed up just in time to save his seat on the bus and they are joined by genuine hard bloke Luke Jacobson and the calls of form No.8 Marino Mikaele-Tu’u must get him around the senior squad so the coaches can get a good look at him.
Tom Christie is a shoe in for the 7 shirt for Leon McDonald while Wellington’s New Zealand Under 20 player, Peter Lakai, is knocking it out of the park every week at No.8. Pita Gus Sowakula surely gets another go in a black shirt after a quick run at senior level.
Halfbacks are pretty simple. Folau Fakatava was promoted too quickly, has had a good stint with the senior squad but he needs senior level minutes so off he goes to the AB XV where he will be partnered by TJ Perenara.
I had TJP in the ‘never go back’ category and I still believe that, but boy he has had one hell of a season and you can’t write him off just yet.
Brad Weber takes the running halfback slot in the All Black side.
The choices for the 10 shirt is where the real conundrum begins.
Stephen Perofeta has both the skillset and the game management attributes to be able to play the All Black senior side game plan. When he was released back to Taranaki he just looked a different class to those around him. Patient, good distribution, quality attacking threat and a really good kicking game.
Is the XV tour the right place to give him minutes, or do they find a way to get him senior time? If Jordie Barrett plays 12 and Beauden Barrett is the fullback option then Perofeta gets the bench space at the big dance.
(Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
There are so many talented young game managers that it’s too long to list. Canterbury has two, Wellington has two, Hawkes Bay, Otago and Waikato all have one each – good luck selecting one from those in form.
What to do with Damian McKenzie, though? Seems to be suffering from post-Japan syndrome and struggling for his best form, some clutch goal kicking aside. He may be one who suffers from the All Black game plan having moved on and his ‘hard at the gain-line’ approach my not fit the requirements at the AB level now.
From the start of the year when the All Black midfield was looking a little vacant, candidates are now lining up.
First change is clear Quinn Tupaea is of course out, and in comes Anton Lienert-Brown (I am presuming he gets through NPC in one piece, though).
Second, out goes Roger Tuivasa-Sheck – either for minutes in the AB XV or just out. The former New Zealand Warrior isn’t showing anything that earns a black jersey and being shunted to the wing for Auckland didn’t help him last week.
Lots of choice for replacements, Alex Nankivell, anyone called Umunga-Jensen, or anyone called Sullivan could all do a job (injuries excepted) for the AB XV.
My call-up for the senior side is a guy in red hot form and whose selection would set the international twitter universe right off.
Levi Aumua of Tasman is killing it with ball in hand this season. New Zealand-born, grew up in Australia and is qualified for both Samoa and Fiji and contracted to Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. His performances are worthy of an All Black call-up, he is New Zealand-born, but selecting him out of Moana Pasifika will earn New Zealand Rugby zero friends.
Back three players also as per the program.
So many moving parts. What are your thoughts, Roarers?
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