All Blacks team v Italy: Winners and losers as ‘underappreciated warrior’ Sam Cane bows out while Scott Robertson ‘drops’ error-strewn back
Split image of All Blacks flanker Sam Cane and winger Sevu Reece.
Scott Robertson has named his final All Blacks team of the year as New Zealand fronts up against Italy in the Autumn Nations Series. Following the announcement we select our winners and losers.
It’s been a year of highs and lows for Robertson in his first international season in charge of the men in black, winning nine out of 13 matches, most recently falling to France for the third time on the trot.
The All Blacks boss has responded to the defeat to Les Bleus by making three changes in his starting pack and two in his backline. He has also recalled two wonderful servants of the black jersey who will be running out for one last time.
Ahead of the clash with Italy, here are our All Blacks winners and losers from Robertson’s selections.
Winners
Sam Cane
There was nowhere else to start really. A legend of the All Blacks and perhaps the most underappreciated player to represent New Zealand 100 times, Sam Cane will bring the curtain down on his illustrious Test career on Saturday – Sunday if you are reading this in Aotearoa – pulling on the iconic jersey for the 104th time.
A hard-nosed warrior in the All Blacks pack since making his Test debut in 2012, the former skipper was a true warrior on the side of the scrum with perhaps his biggest crime leading to him being criminally underrated being the fact that he was not Richie McCaw. Fellow centurion Beauden Barrett made an emotional tribute to Cane when he notched up his 100th Test match for New Zealand which gave insight into just how highly he is regarded by his teammates despite him never really getting the plaudits he deserves.
“I’ve seen what goes on behind closed doors on and off the field, you pour everything into this jersey mate, you’re one hell of a leader, one hell of a bloke and a great player,” Barrett said.
“You epitomise what courage means to be an All Black having been through the setbacks, such as a broken neck. Coming back and putting your head in dark places like you do, it’s truly inspirational.”
Cane could very well make a comeback to international rugby ahead of the next World Cup but if this really is a farewell Test for the world-class back-rower, then he leaves a massive void that will not easily be filled.
For 103 Test matches, Cane has poured his heart, soul and bled for the All Blacks and should be remembered for doing just that while being a fierce and uncompromising competitor.
Ethan de Groot
Ethan de Groot’s international season has ebbed and flowed in the same manner as the team’s performances. He kick-started the year as the first-choice number one, causing havoc for the English scrum, before a neck injury against Argentina stalled his involvement during the Rugby Championship. He returned in the latter stages of the tournament to start twice against the Wallabies but a failure to meet ‘internal standards’ resulted in him missing all four of the end-of-year fixtures to date.
Still, it has not been made clear as to what exactly De Groot did that was against the All Blacks’ standards, whether it was him stealing Jason Ryan’s slice of cake or enjoying the Guinness a bit too much in Dublin, but the loosehead prop will be pleased that he gets one final crack in 2024 to force his way back into the boss’ good books and up the pecking order.
Wallace Sititi
On Sunday, Wallace Sititi could well be crowned World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year following in the footsteps of fellow countryman Nehe Milner-Skudder, Rieko Ioane, Will Jordan and last year’s winner Mark Tele’a.
Sititi has stiff competition from Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, and Jamie Osborne but if he does leave Monaco with the award, it will be thoroughly deserved after an outstanding rookie season in the black jersey.
This week, he returns to the blindside of the scrum after a solid performance at number eight against France last week. While many believe that is his better position, he has played his best rugby at blindside flanker and gets another shot in the role against what is bound to be a mighty Azzurri loose trio.
TJ Perenara
After playing second fiddle to Aaron Smith for much of his career, it is somewhat fitting that TJ Perenara plays his final Test match for the All Blacks in the same role on Saturday. Perenara will earn his 89th and final cap for New Zealand on the weekend – the 62nd of which coming from the bench.
The veteran half-back epitomised the shift to the modern game proving that it is no longer just 15v15 but rather a full 23-man effort. Countless times over the years he has seen out All Blacks’ victories or inspired a comeback.
He was selected by three different All Blacks coaches, proving his class and quality, while being a true legend of Hurricanes rugby. After Saturday’s clash against the Azzurri, Perenara will depart to Japan where he will earn some coin after being a magnificent servant to New Zealand Rugby for so many years.
Cam Roigard
Sticking with the half-backs and after missing most of the year through injury, Cam Roigard has certainly made up for lost time and has seemingly usurped Cortez Ratima as the All Blacks’ first-choice number nine.
Roigard is viewed by many as Smith’s heir and his outings against Ireland, England and last week against France have served as supporting evidence for that claim. He has once again been rewarded for his recent form by starting the final Test match of the year and when the French arrival next July, expect to see his name next to the number nine on the teamsheet.
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Patrick Tuipulotu
In a similar boat to Roigard, Patrick Tuipulotu has returned to the black jersey in sensational form, producing a particularly impressive shift against England at Twickenham.
He has been restricted to roles off the bench since arriving in the UK and Europe but closes out the year as he started it as he features alongside captain Scott Barrett.
Italy
The All Blacks romped to an emphatic 96-17 victory the last time these two sides met during the Rugby World Cup last year and one would not have scolded Robertson if he made mass changes to his team to tackle the Azzurri.
Instead, Italy are getting the full respect of the All Blacks’ coaching team who have selected almost a full-strength side considering the ever-growing list of injured players. This means that the Italian fans who have reached deep into their pockets to see their heroes tackle the men in black get full value.
It’s highly unlikely that Italy will overturn that 81-point deficit and upset set the All Blacks in Rome but at least they will get a crack at the best New Zealand has available to them this weekend. The 2024 All Blacks are a far cry from the 2011-2015 vintage but they are still one of the top three sides in the world and this weekend, the Italians get a fantastic opportunity to measure just how far off they are from the best of the best after their humbling at the hands of Argentina.
Losers
George Bell
With the All Blacks going full hog with their best available team against Italy, which has not always been the case in the past, it means that fringe players like rookie hooker George Bell have played their final game in the black jersey this year. It’s a real shame for the Crusaders youngster who has put his hand up when given the opportunity, but this week’s selections shows that Robertson is not going to be handing out caps willy-nilly during his tenure and that is important too.
Still, Bell will pleased that he realised his dream of becoming an All Black this year and is joined in feeling that way by the likes of Billy Proctor, who would have had a good chance of featuring this week if he wasn’t celebrating another, and perhaps more important, milestone of becoming a father for the first.
Samipeni Finau
Cane’s injury against England opened the door for Samipeni Finau to stake a claim for more involvement in the All Blacks jumper in 2025 and beyond. However, he was denied that chance when he sustained a concussion in the opening exchanges of the clash against France.
The abrasive lock may well have been in the mix for a spot on the bench – or depending on he went against Les Bleus – a start this week but ultimately he will need to reset, recover and go again during Super Rugby next season.
Tamaiti Williams
Prop Tamaiti Williams enjoyed a breakout year in the All Blacks last year but he kicked it up a few gears into 2024, nailing down the starting loosehead role and starred in just about every game he featured in. Last week against France was arguably the pick of his performances and it’s a shame that he is unable to build on that showing with one last hurrah against the Italians.
A neck injury sees him miss this weekend’s match and he is not alone in being ruled out through injury but his setback is worth highlighting separately.
Injured stars
Speaking of the injured stars, Robertson is certainly dealing with a lengthy list with Williams and Finau joined by Jordie Barrett (knee), Sam Darry (knee), Ethan Blackadder (calf), Luke Jacobson (fractured thumb) and Dalton Papali’i (upper hamstring).
Many of the stars mentioned looked to be making real strides in the black jersey this year with Darry impressing on debut and his subsequent Tests while Blackadder was a standout when on the park.
With a new coaching staff in 2024, all of those players with the exception of Barrett were jostling for roles in the matchday 23 and the squad but unfortunately had their seasons cut short.
Ruben Love
There is no doubt that Ruben Love will add to his single Test cap in the years to come but surely he deserved more than one this year? It’s a tough business to be in trading as an outside back in New Zealand particularly when the full-back options include but are not limited to Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Stephen Perofeta and Damian McKenzie.
Sevu Reece
Given the chance to shine against France with Tele’a out with a hand injury, Sevu Reece did not cover himself in glory as he got burned by Les Bleus’ speedster Louis Bielle-Biarrey during a pivotal moment in the match and has been duly dropped from the 23. Reece looks to have lost pace from his recent injury setbacks and there is a real possibility that he has already played his last Test in the black jersey unless there is a real improvement next year.
Cortez Ratima
Perenara was always going to be in the matchday 23 for Italy’s final game of the year as he brings his international career to an end. But there still needed to be a decision made on the other scrum-half role with a choice between Ratima and Roigard.
Ratima shone during the Rugby Championship and made a great claim to become the go-to starter for the All Blacks but when Roigard returned, the Chiefs man’s performances dipped. He was underwhelming and error-strewn this November and a change was needed even without considering Perenara’s farewell and it’s Ratima who ultimately drops out.
