All Blacks squad v Springboks: Winners and losers as Scott Robertson snubs an Ian Foster favourite and gets timely injury boost
Our winners and losers from Scott Robertson's 36-man squad to travel to South Africa.
Following the announcement of Scott Robertson’s 36-man All Blacks squad for the two Tests against the Springboks, we pick out our winners and losers.
The All Blacks tackle the Boks at the iconic Ellis Park Stadium in Test I before heading further south to Cape Town for the second match.
In preparation for the two Test matches in South Africa, Robertson has refrained from making wholesale changes but his hand has been forced with a pair of injuries in key positions.
We dissect the 36-man All Blacks squad picking out our winners and losers.
Winners
Asafo Aumua
The retirement of Dane Coles and Samisoni Taukei’aho’s injury has left Robertson with Codie Taylor as his only uber-experienced hooker as they depart to South Africa. This has been the case for every Test match he has been in charge of to date with Taylor, Asafo Aumua and George Bell all sharing the hooking duties.
However, the lineout has struggled this year and while there were signs of improvement against Argentina, it faltered when Aumua entered proceedings. The All Blacks aren’t bursting at the seams with options in the position and Aumua is currently the clear choice as Taylor’s backup but frankly, he isn’t covering himself in glory with his performances, which included a yellow card that he was rather lucky not to have upgraded to a red against Los Pumas.
South Africa will be a real litmus test for the hooker and while Robertson has been patient and reluctant to make changes that will only last so long.
Uncapped duo
Just two players will head to South Africa without an All Blacks cap to their name and will be hoping to twist the coaching staff’s arms. Harry Plummer and Ruben Love both head to the Republic with the chance to make their debuts, however slim those are.
They are going toe-to-toe with the likes of Will Jordan, Damian McKenzie and Beauden Barrett for an opportunity of pulling on the iconic black jersey for the first time and while it is unlikely that they will, they are both deserving of their chance.
Both are talented players and who knows, the opening Test might be an incredibly physically draining one and opportunities could arise. Regardless, both will be pleased that they are still in the squad.
Timely returns from injury
Robertson has been afforded the luxury of an almost full-strength playing squad to select from and the return to fitness of Luke Jacobson, Scott Barrett and Ethan de Groot are boosts in important positions.
Skipper Barrett’s return is perhaps the most crucial one as he will be tasked with not only leading the side against their fiercest rivals but also rectifying the side’s lineout woes. There is no doubt around Barrett’s world-class status and with youth taking centre stage in the engine room against Argentina, his return is huge.
Meanwhile, Jacobson adds to the All Blacks’ back-row stocks with his ability to cover almost the entire loose trio. A hard-nosed operator, who is aggressive in both attack and defence while being a handy option in the lineout.
Finally, De Groot is quite simply the All Blacks’ best loosehead prop even when considering Tamaiti Williams’ performance against Argentina in Auckland. He gave the Springboks all kinds of issues at scrum time when the two sides faced off last year and his return to fitness cannot be overstated.
Scott Robertson
Having got his feet firmly under the desk and tasted his first defeat, Robertson will be pleased that he was able to name a settled and strong squad to go over to the Republic.
Robertson is slowly making his mark on the squad and will be relishing the challenge of tackling the Springboks in their own backyard, particularly after the success he had with the Crusaders in South Africa. It is rather fitting that his first Test against the Boks is at the stadium where he won his first Super Rugby title in charge of the Crusaders back in 2017.
Inexperienced locks
The unavailability of Patrick Tuipulotu has certainly influenced the decision to take both Josh Lord and Sam Darry on tour to South Africa, but the pair impressed against Argentina and are deserving of further involvement. Even with the return of Barrett and Samipeni Finau’s ability to slot into the second-row, Robertson has decided to expose the pair to the All Blacks environment even more.
The All Blacks were always going to struggle to replace Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick but giving the likes of Darry and Lord more exposure in the squad is a smart ploy from the coaching staff, even if their on-field involvement is limited.
Sam Cane
Sam Cane’s journey to 100 Test caps in what is set to be his final season of international rugby continues as he heads to South Africa with wrongs to right. The All Blacks openside flanker is still a top-quality operator and will be eager to get stuck into the Springboks pack as he has done on so many occasions before but with added motivation after his red card in the Rugby World Cup final last year.
Cane marked his return to the black jersey in the Eden Park Test against Argentina, but he will be vying for the number seven jersey as the back-rower seeks to get stuck into the Springboks from the first whistle.
First-time travellers to South Africa
For some of the All Blacks squad members, this will be the first time that they head to the Republic following the South African team’s exit from Super Rugby. So many current and ex-All Blacks still rue South Africa’s departure from the competition having enjoyed the comradery that comes with touring but also the sightseeing.
Losers
Injured pair
The injuries could not have come at a worse time for Patrick Tuipulotu and Stephen Perofeta as they looked to have been locking down regular roles in the team during the July internationals.
Ian Foster handed Perofeta his Test debut but the Blues playmaker never really kicked on from there. However, he looked to have impressed new boss Robertson enough to earn back-to-back starts at fullback against England. While Barrett shone off the bench, replacing him in both those Tests, Perofeta would have surely been included in the travelling squad to South Africa.
Meanwhile, Tuipulotu looked set to be Scott Barrett’s long-term locking partner but, as has been the case so many times in his career, his efforts have been curtailed by injury. His absence provides Tupou Vaa’i and the younger locks more opportunities in the role and, considering his injury record, it may be tough for him to force his way back in.
Jason Ryan
While the injury news is mostly positive for forwards coach Jason Ryan, he would have loved to have the experience, firepower and set-piece expertise of Tuipulotu and Taukei’aho for the clashes against the Boks.
Still, he has plenty to work with in South Africa, particularly with the return of De Groot and the form of Fletcher Newell and Williams.
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Finlay Christie
After coming off the bench in the first Test against England and starting the second, Christie has become surplus to requirements for the All Blacks coaching staff. The 23-Test cap scrum-half has been overlooked in favour of the single cap tally nines, Cortez Ratima and Noah Hotham.
With Cam Roigard on the road to recovery too and TJ Perenara in his final season of Test rugby, one has to wonder when Christie will get his next opportunity. He was a regular fixture and favourite for Foster but does not have the same faith from the current coaching team.
Emoni Narawa
Quite simply, Narawa is a victim of the All Blacks’ back three depth as he will now have to continue pressing for a recall through his performances with Bay of Plenty in the NPC. Unfortunately for him, Caleb Clarke has taken his opportunities in the starting XV while Robertson has also understandably favoured Will Jordan, Sevu Reece and Mark Tele’a.
Hoskins Sotutu
Yet again, Robertson has overlooked the Blues star, who is not quite fitting the bill and will need to stake his claim for a call-up with Counties Manukau. He has already scored two tries in his first two appearances for the side this season, continuing his stunning try-scoring form in Super Rugby where he dotted down 12 times, but it’s not his ability to get on the scoreboard that is keeping him out of the team.
READ MORE: All Blacks: The telling stats that provide clarity to Hoskins Sotutu’s snub
