For decades the naming of the All Blacks followed the same format.
In the deep dark caverns under the main grandstand of Athletic Park the ageing NZRFU chairman – for years Ces Blazey, of 1981 Springbok Tour fame – would stand up after the All Black trial and read out the names in alphabetical order.
Nicky Allen was one of the lucky ones – he always knew straight away whether he was in luck. The Watts and the Wilsons had to stew right until the end, trying to remember how many wings had already been named.
This year the chair once again read the team in alphabetical order, but this was no chairman. Historically, she even managed to pronounce the Maori and Pasifika names accurately, even gracefully. No Tawera Kerr-Barlow moment to laugh at this time.
No All Back hopefuls were in the audience, some having to contain their happiness to spare the feelings of their not so fortunate brothers. Others having to suck up their disappointment and appear happy for those who’d succeeded.
And the venue was not some big city monument but, to the chagrin of big city journos, a modest small town clubroom in the real New Zealand.
We always learn a little bit on these nights – or at least who was selected and the style of rugby that might be deduced from those ingredients. But usually nothing else is given away at these events or indeed at any time in World Cup year.
This time, however, it was a bit different so I took some mental notes and turned them into an article.
Bold as brass
And that was the first revelation. This All Black team is not the usual front runner protectively holding strategies back for the final sprint. They are like Kiwis ready to come from behind in a phenomenal finish that might beat them all.
“We want to win Test matches, get the country behind us,” said Jason Ryan, a bit like Rassie Erasmus’ attitude four years ago. “We’re not locking anything away – we want to get stuck in.”
Ian Foster and Jason Ryan were even willing to talk strategy for all the world to hear.
New Zealand has never won the main Southern Hemisphere trophy and Old Bill in the same year. We all remember years of dominant mid-season silverware followed by humiliating World Cup exits. This is no ordinary situation for a team in black though – could it be the right call in these circumstances?
Time for a change
Usually the All Blacks like to have a very settled team for the big dance, except maybe with one bolter in the outside backs. So, it could easily be considered a weakness that this unsettled and wobbly World Cup cycle has led us to a place where Foster and co have selected five new players, plus Mark Telea, who only debuted in November.
Mark Telea celebrates a try (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Not ideal, but as Foster said they will add energy to the prevalent experience and this does feel like the best All Black team to be selected since at least 2019, maybe 2017. Is it too little, too late, though?
Remember Rassie brought in new players during his short reign – are Foster’s new assistants responsible for these new selections, along with the change of style that was gradually introduced last year? Like Rassie they seem to have brought a welcome transformation that has surely increased our chances.
Dirty creatures
This is reflected in the good news that came from the new darling of the New Zealand rugby media. No, not Kirstie Stanaway but her polar opposite interviewee, Jason Ryan. It was clear that Mutt wanted powerful athletes with plenty of mongrel and that he fought like one to get Samipeni Finau into the team ahead of his polar opposite, Foster favourite Akira Ioane.
Or at least that is the logical deduction from Foster’s statement that “one went in and one went out” following the semi-finals. That followed Ryan’s assertions that blindside was the a position that gave rise to “robust discussions” and that Finau proved that he was “tough” and “ready” in the loss to the Reds.
Surely this premium on fight has to be a good thing after two years when that seemingly came second in the loose forwards to flashy skill.
Strait old line
It was heartening to hear that Joe Schmidt has been teaching Ryan and the players about how to execute the ball carry and clean. Something Ryan can take forward into the Scott Robertson era.
Schmidt made Ireland the masters of those basics and they’ve been our kryptonite in recent years. In Foster’s COVID-enforced absence he coached the All Blacks to a rare win over his former charges last year and he has improved the odds of a repeat should the two teams meet in France. Our platform is also so much more solid than it was for the first four matches last year.
Give it a whirl
We are still saying that we need to play with speed and adventure. I’m fine with that if it’s based on solid Schmidt/Ryan foundations because it is our strength.
Poor boy
Of course there were disappointments but Foster was hurt by the failure of dropped players to text him back after he gave them the courtesy of forewarning them. Proof, perhaps, that the selectors made the right call but a danger if friends or even a brother in the squad secretly agree with their stance.
Conclusion
After a mediocre few years we are at least improving. Finally, we are building a solid base to give our flair a reasonable chance to succeed.
Is this Kiwi in the 1983 Melbourne Cup or Kiwi in the 1985 edition? I don’t think I’ve ever given the All Blacks a smaller chance of winning the World Cup since the first one but at least we have a chance now.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
A rare interesting point made on the Breakdown. Mo'unga preferred to play for the Saders above the All Blacks and Whitelock risked his ankle in World Cup year. Under Razor the All Blacks will be the priority for everyone.
Terminator
Roar Rookie
South Africa, France, and Ireland will be drooling seeing a midfield of Jordie Barrett and Reiko Ioane. That is not a physically intimidating defensive pairing at all. Neither is much of a front on tackler. I would be running my 8 and 12 down their channels all day long, and those teams will. At least one of the two centres needs to be a strong defender who can both tackle and jackal.
WEST
Roar Guru
NZ has a lot of talent, most countries would be stoked to have the quality we have at their disposal. Why it’s weird that isn’t reflected on the international stage lately. The ABs or Foster has struggled to make all the puzzle pieces fit. to many choices becomes a negative.. like a kid trying to pick only a certain amount of candy at a candy store. Seems to get confused, then indecisive.. then you have to have a strategy that matches the team, or an attacking style that complements the players individuality. All of these things go into consideration. Same thing on defence. If you can’t get the mixture right it looks like sht, tastes like sht. Then he has to start all over! The All Blacks squad should be capable of winning the RWC, if they get the mix right, put together a clear and easy to follow strategy that can be topped up with individual initiatives and raw talent. Example is Emoni Narawa! This guy is cool under pressure, can make things happen when there isn’t anything on. I’m excited to see what this guy can do in black. Stevenson is another amazing player.. back up now. But he’s to good to be sitting around, he’ll be a key to the ABs success very soon. As far as Foster goes this year?? Who knows what we’ll get, he hasn’t been consistent since he took over.. I guess that’s one consistency. But he has better support staff this year, so it should improve. I’m more excited about the All Blacks under Razor, he brings far more culture and teamwork into the background. Take the SR final for example..You could tell that once the Crusaders got in front, nothing was getting in their way. No way they were going to let go of the lead. The Chiefs couldn’t do anything about it. That’s the sort of determination that Razor can create, builds a united front that everyone wants to be a part of, no one wants to let the team down. So, if the ABs can even get an ounce of that! That will go a long way to the success of the ABs.
Jimbob
Roar Rookie
The bloke can hit - it’s just he has hit several people in the head. Doesn’t seem to matter in super rugby. In the World Cup it will be a straight red and off for the game. In a knock match that also means a world of trouble of the rest of the team.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
It's amazing how BB, Laulala and Ofa have gone downhill since moving there.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
That's exactly right.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
You can be hard on the pitch and a gent off it!
Nick
Roar Rookie
Tops FIL!
Arama
Roar Rookie
100% mate. I do feel for this generation though. As what our generation called tough/uncompromising is now lumped in with toxic masculinity etc. Not many around with the “Mamba-mentality”, for lack of a better description.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Ha ha it was a typo, I didn't even notice! I'd say that there's no chance of a forward working for Razor or Clayton not becoming hard and still having a job :laughing:
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Definitely from the Bok side ..Erasmus hasn't hidden the fact that nothing else matters now but France ..To a certain extent and this was noted by JD Kiwi , the public pressure in NZ is always on winning every match ..That's not so much the case in SA . As long as we perform at World Cups all is good ..We saw when Wales toured here last playing a 3 match series . Boks won the first Test then promptly changed the entire team baring one player and lost the second Test . Actually a historic first Test win by Wales in SA . Coach Nienaber simply explained it was to build depth for the WC so escaped any criticism .That would not happen in NZ .
Wig
Roar Rookie
Hahaha probly safer, I was brought up politics should never be in sport. Cavalier tour was a hard gig for our players/nation.
Old Bugger
Roar Rookie
Gee, I don't know which games you've been watching but when I see Finau tackle, I feel for the bloke getting tackled. When Finau goes in low with arms open, you can hear the thump, on the tackled player.
Old Bugger
Roar Rookie
I think both sides, will be going through the early rounds stage in the RC and then, turn it up at Twickers, before heading to France.
Old Bugger
Roar Rookie
Yeah I know what you're saying on Ioane but, from my view, he's the No13 while Fozzie has the coaching reins. Perhaps next year, we may see a change of selection and position, for him.....who knows??
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Well from what iv'e heard from my Saffa Bro, he's of the opinion, that the upcoming AB v SA Rugby Champ encounter will just be a ' feeling out' trial match for a few in the Bokke squad, in preparation for the RWC. It'll be very interesting!!!!
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
TBH OB, & IMO, Reiko is still not a midfielders butt. Yes ALB will be a far better option, but there are far better players in the country than what Reiko is. Even Nankivell, Proctor, Fainga'anuku, yes an even Ennor, who had the better of him last time out. There are others.
Locke
Roar Rookie
Great read JD Kiwi. I still feel the selectors haven't done enough in jettisoning the Blues underperformers. Three Blues and three Crusaders forwards made it from the semifinal packs, in what world did that thrashing establish even representation? Ofa and Nepo shouldn't be there. The midfield is also looking very shaky, opposition teams will be salivating at the prospect of running at Jordie and Reiko. The reality is we're still seeing Foster's bias writ large on this team; Stevenson's defensive failings are openly critiqued but Clarke's incompetence and Beauden's 1 tackle in the semifinal are ignored in Foster favouritesland.
Jimbob
Roar Rookie
Finau will need to work on his upright tackling technique and leading with a shoulder and tucked arm into tackles – he got away with a couple of poor technique tackles in Super Rugby but if they ref this World Cup like the last one he is likely to get a red and then rubbed out of the tournament via suspension if he does the same thing in the pool games. No 20 minute red cards in the World Cup as well * I think* which makes the risk return threshold a lot higher. That said you get a great physical competitor and effort player in the squad in the place of the exact opposite which can only make the group stronger even if he is mostly there to add venom to the training sessions.
Arama
Roar Rookie
Haha, thanks Nick. Would love to claim “Teflon-Tu’ungafasi” as my idea, but borrowed it from my father-in-law. :laughing: