All Blacks team: Five takeaways as Ardie Savea situation ‘unhealthy’ but Scott Robertson shows clear ‘intention’ for Argentina opener
All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson and number eight Ardie Savea.
Following the announcement of the All Blacks side for the Rugby Championship opener against Argentina, here are our five takeaways from Scott Robertson’s selections.
The top line
There is no doubting Robertson’s intention for their first game of the Rugby Championship with the All Blacks boss sending a warning to Los Pumas by naming what he sees as his strongest available side.
There will be qualms from supporters over certain selections and decisions, as is inevitably the case, but these are ultimately the players the head coach trusts the most. The call to select Sevu Reece on the wing is one of those which will be debated, but he is a Robertson favourite and joins Will Jordan and Rieko Ioane in the back three.
Midfield is another position which was pretty much nailed on, especially after Ioane was named as an outside back in the training squad, with Jordie Barrett and Billy Proctor, who will combine for the Hurricanes next season, at centre.
The backline is completed by Beauden Barrett and Cortez Ratima, with the Chiefs scrum-half coming in for the injured Cam Roigard and needing a massive game to quell the doubters.
Up front, the big selection call was putting Ardie Savea at number eight. It is not necessarily a surprise as the two main number eight options, Wallace Sititi and Luke Jacobson, have endured their injury issues, but it must be a slight frustration after the concerted switch to openside in 2025.
Savea combines with Du’Plessis Kirifi and Tupou Vaa’i in the All Blacks back-row, while the front five sees Scott Barrett and Fabian Holland at lock, and Fletcher Newell, Codie Taylor and Ethan de Groot ahead of them.
The bench also has plenty of experience in the form of Samisoni Taukei’aho, Patrick Tuipulotu, Damian McKenzie and Anton Lienert-Brown, while Ollie Norris, Pasilio Tosi, Finlay Christie and Samipeni Finau are the other replacements.
No room for rookies
There was a debate about whether Simon Parker, who was brought into the main 36-man squad, would get the nod for the opening Argentina clash, especially with the confirmed absence of Sititi, but the rookie will have to wait for his chance.
Parker is a tremendous talent who may well get his opportunity next weekend providing all goes swimmingly in the All Blacks’ Rugby Championship opener, but there is no doubt that experience is the order of the day for the New Zealand head coach.
That is also the case for Kyle Preston, the Crusaders scrum-half that was in a battle with Christie for a place on the bench. He must have been close but, like Parker, he will have to wait at least another week to pick up his first All Blacks cap.
Of the other uncapped individuals, it never seemed likely that Leroy Carter and Tevita Mafileo would be in contention and that has proven to be the case, although we are big fans of the former and feel he would benefit from involvement next weekend.
Ardie Savea switch
Robertson’s big call this weekend in what was an otherwise unsurprising team. It rather points to the fact that Savea is so good that it doesn’t really matter where he plays, but Robertson would no doubt prefer to nail down a consistent loose forward combination.
In terms of balance, we very much like the Vaa’i-Kirifi-Savea partnership, but it is almost certainly not the trio that will remain in place for the rest of the year. Only the 31-year-old former World Rugby Player of the Year is really assured of his place and even then he is playing out of position in regards to where Robertson sees him featuring long-term.
From what we saw against France, Savea can easily switch between seven and eight, but it is the other spots that are a concern and it is not healthy for the All Blacks if they continue to chop and change.
Of course, it could be that this trio plays so well that Robertson retains his faith in them but, with Sititi soon to return, Parker rising fast, Luke Jacobson still around and Peter Lakai coming back into the reckoning after injury, there are still more questions than answers.
Robertson remaining conservative?
The All Blacks boss has received praise for being far bolder this year. Bringing Holland straight into the team at lock and shifting Vaa’i to blindside is testament to that, while he has also given debuts to Brodie McAlister, Norris, Kirifi and Timoci Tavatavanawai, but he has selected his tried and trusted for this weekend’s clash. Norris and Kirifi remain in the squad but you sense that they are only there because of the injuries to Tamaiti Williams and Sititi.
There are still real issues out wide with memories of Reece being scorched by Louis Bielle-Biarrey last November fresh in our minds. Equally, Robertson is determined to keep Ioane in the team, even though his form has been questionable for the best part of a year.
Those two keep their places despite having Emoni Narawa available, who was probably the best New Zealand wing in Super Rugby. Robertson could also shift Will Jordan out wide and bring in either McKenzie or, more pertinently, Ruben Love – a player that is certainly worth a shot in games that are, on paper at least, their easiest.
Their chance may well come next weekend but, if not, it shows that Robertson is still slightly reluctant to experiment too much. France sending an understrength team rather enabled the All Blacks boss to rotate but, against fully-loaded Rugby Championship rivals, this is where his bottle will be tested. On the evidence of the first team announcement, however, certain individuals may be waiting a while for a true opportunity in the XV.
Lifeline for replacement duo
It wasn’t that long ago that Christie’s international career seemed over. After playing the two Tests against England last year, he was jettisoned from the 23 and then did not make the wider squad for the 2024 Rugby Championship or November series.
When he missed out on the France Tests, the scrum-half was linked with a move overseas, with Newcastle Red Bulls said to be interested, but all of a sudden he finds himself back in the team. Injuries to Roigard and Hotham have ultimately led to this scenario, but it does give him one last chance to prove his worth.
You also wonder whether it is a similar situation for Lienert-Brown. While he has over 80 caps and has been around the squad for the past decade, he is going to struggle to get in at 12 with Barrett nailed on first choice and Tupaea and Tavatavanawai the coming forces. He can fit in at outside centre and there is less competition in that slot, especially with Ioane now being moved out wide, but his position in the 23 does not feel secure.