All Blacks squad winners and losers: Scott Robertson’s selection smacks of ‘desperation’ as domestic competition takes a hit
TJ Perenara, Sam Cane and All Blacks boss Scott Robertson. (James Foy / Speed Media AU / Iconsportswire)
Following the announcement of Scott Robertson’s 36-man All Blacks squad for the end-of-year tour, Planet Rugby picks out the winners and losers.
New Zealand’s head coach has generally kept the status quo with few changes to the squad from their recent Rugby Championship campaign, but that is not necessarily a good thing.
There are plenty of talking points from the selection, which sees Robertson opt for the tried and trusted ahead of their games against Japan, England, Ireland, France and Italy.
So without out further ado, here are our winners and losers from the All Blacks’ 36 that will travel to Japan and Europe.
Winners
Experienced duo’s last hurrah
TJ Perenara and Sam Cane have both been given the chance to finish their Test careers in November having been selected in the wider squad. If we’re honest, they’re slightly surprising calls, given that they both won’t be around next year, but it does rather suggest that Robertson is desperate for results after a disappointing Rugby Championship.
Of course, it does depend on what roles these two players take over that crucial month. If they are front and centre of the team, and starting in the big three matches, then you rather question what the point is considering that it will hinder, rather than help, the development of this All Blacks team. However, if it is more in supporting roles – having reduced game time while guiding their respective heirs in the jerseys – then it would be a more sensible decision.
Cam Roigard
After playing his first match in seven months, the talented scrum-half gets a recall to the squad. It shows how highly the 23-year-old is rated having enjoyed a breakout season in 2023, which saw him play a part in their run to the Rugby World Cup final.
Roigard returned in Counties Manukau’s victory over Manawatu and immediately shook off the rust by scoring two tries in the 45-26 triumph. He has huge ability and will be a significant cog in the New Zealand squad over the next few years, but it will be interesting to see how much he plays after Cortez Ratima’s displays so far in 2024.
Inexperienced playmakers
Stephen Perofeta remains in the group despite only just returning from injury while Ruben Love also gets a chance to head north. Both could have easily been selected in the All Blacks XV squad but it suggests that they will have some sort of involvement during the five games.
For Love, it is doubtful that it will come in the ‘big three’, where they face England, Ireland and France over consecutive weeks, but he should get an opportunity against both Japan and Italy. That would then give him a good introduction to Test rugby ahead of a potentially big 2025.
David Havili
There are players where you question what they have to do to get picked but, for Havili, it’s the opposite, who seems to get selected whatever his form. The versatile back had a poor year for the Crusaders and yet still managed to earn a Test cap, coming on late against the Wallabies in Round Six of the Rugby Championship. He now remains in the squad and is perhaps the most fortunate to be in this 36.
Havili, despite his obvious ability, has never quite convinced at the top and at 29 you wonder whether he will ever get there, which makes his selection all the more bemusing. Robertson knows him well having enjoyed incredible success together at the Crusaders and that is evidently in his favour, but there is surely a point where the head coach will look elsewhere if the back continues to be struggle at Test level.
Last chance saloon
The Havili conundrum rather leads onto this category. Ordinarily, he would have been included in this section too, but we’re not quite so sure with the All Blacks boss clearly a massive fan. However, there are individuals who do need a big tour or risk being out in the cold ahead of the 2027 global tournament.
High on that list is probably the two wings, Sevu Reece and Mark Tele’a. New Zealand never lack for quality back three players and these two have not had great seasons internationally. In Tele’a’s case, we think it’s more that he perhaps doesn’t fit Robertson’s game plan, but the flyer quite simply needs to prove that he does. As for Reece, he is, like Havili, another individual the head coach clearly likes, but he has so far not replicated his Super Rugby form in the Test arena.
Up front, there are also a few that need big tours, such as Ofa Tu’ungafasi, whose form dropped off in the Rugby Championship, and back-rowers Ethan Blackadder, Dalton Papali’i and Luke Jacobson. We think two of those should be involved next year but, who they are, it remains to be seen. They are getting to the age where they need to start performing consistently at international level or, in Blackadder’s case, being consistently available.
Losers
Finlay Christie
We think dropping Noah Hotham to the All Blacks XV squad is the correct decision but it is telling that Christie has not received a recall. That is despite performing exceptionally well in the NPC since being axed from Robertson’s squad.
Of course, Roigard was always going to return and the head coach would have wanted some experience alongside him and fellow youngster Ratima. Perenara was always the favourite to fulfil that role, but Christie could have been in the conversation. However, he is very much out in the cold at the moment and will have to work even harder to get back in.
Hoskins Sotutu
Unlike Christie, who has simply fallen out of favour, Sotutu was never in favour. The 26-year-old was the shock omission from the wider squad earlier this year, with youngster Wallace Sititi being selected instead.
Sititi has justified Robertson’s decision by producing some barnstorming displays in the Rugby Championship but, with those coming at blindside, that would have enabled the head coach to cut one of Blackadder, Jacobson or Samipeni Finau to potentially bring in another specialist number eight. However, he has decided against that and has evidently made up his mind on the Blues star.
Emoni Narawa
Probably the unluckiest player to miss out. Despite the All Blacks continually rotating that back three trying to find the right combination, Narawa only earned one cap – against Fiji in July – and will not go on the northern hemisphere tour – with the Test team at least.
The 25-year-old has handled his setbacks impressively and has been ripping up the NPC over the past couple of months, but it was not enough for him to get noticed by Robertson. Still, if the aforementioned Reece and Tele’a struggle over the next couple of months, he could benefit from that in 2025.
Harry Plummer
There have been very few changes to the Rugby Championship squad but Plummer, like Hotham, is one of the unfortunate ones to miss out. He will likely partner the Crusaders youngster at half-back for the All Blacks XV, but we felt he was worth a shot in the main squad.
Plummer made his Test debut in September, playing three minutes off the bench against the Wallabies, but he had a difficult task getting in over Damian McKenzie and Beauden Barrett. Those two are clearly streaks ahead but, with McKenzie unconvincing at fly-half and Barrett entering his mid-30s, they perhaps need to look at an alternative option.
Certainly against Japan and Italy, it wouldn’t have hurt trying out the 26-year-old in those games, even though we understand Robertson’s strive for consistency in the number 10 jersey.
Pointless NPC
Ultimately, there are few real surprises in the squad, which suggests that Robertson has completely disregarded the NPC as a competition to find potential internationals. While we can understand the head coach not bringing in complete rookies – those who have not yet proved themselves in Super Rugby – some weight should have been given to the players that have just missed out on New Zealand selection this year.
We’re thinking the likes of Narawa and Peter Lakai, who are the unlucky two having shone in the domestic competition over the past couple of months. Lakai’s time will come but the lack of changes in the squad, especially considering the All Blacks’ struggles in the Rugby Championship, is not a good look for the NPC.
READ MORE: All Blacks: Scott Robertson explains why experienced duo were included in squad for year-end tour
