All Blacks team: Five takeaways as Scott Robertson’s ‘subtle tweak’ suggests big mindset change while ‘loudest message’ sent to Rieko Ioane
All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson and discarded back Rieko Ioane.
Following the announcement of the All Blacks team for their end-of-year Test against England, here are our five takeaways from Scott Robertson’s selections.
The top line
New Zealand’s head coach has kept changes to a minimum, with Caleb Clarke’s concussion and Scott Barrett’s return from injury making sure that two alterations would be inevitable. Robertson ultimately decided to replace Clarke with Leicester Fainga’anuku, allowing Billy Proctor to return at outside centre, while Barrett, as expected, comes in for Josh Lord.
There is one huge tactical call, however, with Wallace Sititi being moved to the bench, despite forming a fine loose trio with Ardie Savea and Peter Lakai against Scotland. That means Simon Parker comes into the back-row in London after missing out completely at Murrayfield in the second match of the All Blacks’ Grand Slam tour.
Elsewhere, the tourists are as expected, despite the reshuffle in the backline, with Robertson naming a new centre pairing and returning to the back three combination that last started together against the Wallabies in the final match of the Rugby Championship in October.
Razor’s response to ‘Pom Squad’
It is a subtle tweak but one which suggests that Robertson has seen the England bench and reacted to it by dropping Sititi from the XV. The All Blacks boss rewarded the 23-year-old’s performance against Ireland with a start in Edinburgh, but there is no doubt that he made a significant impact as a replacement in Chicago, which proved crucial to their come-from-behind triumph.
With the Red Rose going with a 6-2 and stacking it with power, athleticism and, most of all, British and Irish Lions quality, the tourists have opted to respond. They already have one of the finest set of front-row replacements in Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tamaiti Williams and Pasilio Tosi, who are all very dynamic but also very large humans, and Sititi will add that power in equal measure.
Robertson would perhaps prefer to have Patrick Tuipulotu available as the lock cover, but Lord did well against Ireland – albeit coming on after two minutes – before impressing from the start in Scotland. It indicates that the head coach is thinking far more about the make-up of his replacements, something he perhaps neglected earlier in his reign.
Rieko Ioane out in the cold
Robertson has sent out a few telling messages about where he sees the 87-times capped back in the pecking order but this is arguably the loudest. With Clarke out, which follows injuries to Jordie Barrett, Emoni Narawa and Timoci Tavatavanawai, Robertson did not have too many other options to chose from, but he still doesn’t make the 23.
With Fainga’anuku moving to the wing, the 13 slot was between Proctor, Anton Lienert-Brown and Ioane. The All Blacks boss duly opted for Proctor alongside Quinn Tupaea at centre with Lienert-Brown on the bench, leaving the latter to wonder when his next Test cap is coming.
At the very best, it could well be the start of next year, unless there are more injuries for the tourists to deal with this month but, as it stands, Robertson is quite clearly keeping him on the sidelines. Whether he has been told this directly or indirectly, Ioane needs to get to Ireland and find his form before he returns to New Zealand, otherwise his international future is in danger.
Still no start for DMac
It wasn’t a bad 36 minutes work from Damian McKenzie against Scotland as he earned the player of the match award, despite being a replacement. His 50/22 set up the position for the crucial try, which he scored himself of course, before the playmaker kicked the penalty that took the game out of their opponents’ reach.
That display was a timely reminder to his critics of just how good he is having been much-maligned over the past year or so. When Beauden Barrett and McKenzie have operated in tandem this season, it has worked pretty effectively but, if it happens against England, it will likely be in the second period given that the Chiefs star is still on the bench.
You could certainly understand that selection if Clarke was still available but his injury opened the door for Robertson to shift Jordan out to the wing and bring in the 30-year-old for Saturday’s clash.
It is another indicator that the All Blacks boss is thinking more about the composition of the whole 23, rather than selecting a starting XV and filling in the rest, but this might have been an opportunity to change that slightly given McKenzie’s performance last week.
Backline tweaks
Staying on the subject of McKenzie and the back three, you also wonder whether Fainga’anuku and Leroy Carter are the best two wings to counter England’s kicking and aerial game, and if it could be a tactical mistake to leave the playmaker out. We will certainly find out on Saturday after Robertson decided to change things around following the enforced absence of Clarke.
Proctor gets his first start since Round Five of the Rugby Championship against the Wallabies in September and it is a big game for the 23-year-old. Proctor is an exceedingly talented player but he has only shown it in fits and starts this year. While Tupaea and Fainga’anuku have taken on responsibility when in the 13 jersey, Proctor has, more often than not, been anonymous. He has the ability to succeed but now is the time for him to release the shackles.
Carter is another player under pressure who Robertson would have considered leaving out of the starting XV after his mindless yellow card last weekend. The Chiefs speedster impressed in the Rugby Championship after coming in for Ioane, but he has not had the greatest northern tour so far and needs a big game at Twickenham.
