All Blacks team: Winners and losers as ‘refreshed’ Ardie Savea ‘the obvious choice’ for captaincy while returnees named to ‘rectify’ Springboks loss
Codie Taylor (front left) and Ardie Savea (top right) are among the big winners from the All Blacks' selection
Following confirmation of the All Blacks’ 23-man match-day squad to face the Wallabies at Eden Park, here are our key winners and losers from the announcement.
Winners
Ardie Savea
It’s another deserved captaincy gig for the ever-impressive Ardie Savea, who has been a true standout for his side yet again this Rugby Championship.
Savea seems refreshed and revitalised playing on the flanks, with Wallace Sititi’s own desire to carry in the tight exchanges freeing him up to have those trademark trucks, but his leadership has also been vital.
He has always stood up in the big moments when it matters most, but the way he went about his business to get his side over the line against the Boks at Eden Park was captain-like, and you’d expect him to flourish this weekend too in the official capacity.
With Scott Barrett out of the picture this weekend, it was the obvious choice to give him the role.
Returning stars
Codie Taylor, Cam Roigard, Cortez Ratima, Patrick Tuipulotu, Caleb Clarke and Peter Lakai have all come into the All Blacks 23 this weekend, be it in the starting XV or on the bench, with one job on their minds. Rectify the defeat last weekend.
They all bring their own stamp on things too, and fill the hole that was missing in last weekend’s defeat. Taylor adds so much experience and quality to this front-row, which should help shore things up after their torrid time in the scrum last time out, Roigard and Ratima offer their own brand of X-factor quality and have developed a good synergy with one another in that starter/replacement dynamic, while Clarke adds a bit more aerial presence on the wing. This is also a huge chance for him to earn back that shirt that he dominated in years gone by.
Tuipulotu and Lakai will also add some serious steel coming off the bench, again something they lacked in their defeat at Sky Stadium.
Billy Proctor
The midfielder has found himself under a bit of pressure this Rugby Championship, but has been given another chance to showcase his value in this All Blacks side. When Proctor is at his best, he can offer so much explosive power and overall quality to this attack, but he hasn’t quite been able to put his best foot forward just yet.
It could easily just be him and Jordie Barrett finding their feet as a combination, but we are coming towards the end of the tournament now so they need to find that balance sooner rather than later. If he doesn’t quite hit the heights expected, he could see himself thrust out of the squad.
Simon Parker
He might not be the most obvious name to include in this section, but his selection in the starting XV once again shows exactly where he is in this All Blacks side. He has grown into his role with every performance and was a notable high-performer in a dark defeat in Wellington last time out. He is another big unit in their pack, and he puts his frame to good use with some huge efforts on either side of the ball.
While he might not be as flashy as his back-row colleagues, he is certainly becoming just as important.
Will Jordan
Returned to his preferred position of 15, he should have a real effect on their attack. His eye for space, raw speed and overall flair make him such an attacking threat, but when deployed at 15 he is almost given free rein to pop in and out of different holes to cause chaos for the opposition. The Wallabies will need to be wary of him ball-in-hand.
Around that, too, he becomes their chief weapon on the counterattack, driving his side forward just as play starts to break down, and that skill will be influential in a potential win.
Fabian Holland
Taking the spot left by the injured captain S. Barrett could be a daunting task, but Fabian Holland has really settled quickly to life at Test level. The Dutch-born lock has impressed whenever handed minutes in the Black jersey, be it from the bench or in the starting XV, and this is yet another chance for him to nail down a shirt for the long term.
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He should also add some serious physicality to this side, which will help neutralise the likes of Tom Hooper, Harry Wilson and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto.
Losers
Injured cohort
S. Barrett, Ollie Norris, Emoni Narawa and Timoci Tavatavanawai are all currently sidelined, which has cost them a spot in this 23. The fact they were named in the initial release suggests that were they fit, they would have played. In their place, the likes of Tamaiti Williams, Holland, Clarke and Quinn Tupaea have all been given another crack in the side.
Damian McKenzie
After making the starting XV last weekend, DMac is back among the substitutes this weekend. This isn’t really his fault, in all honesty, and will likely still have a big say on the final outcome at Eden Park, but a player of his quality will not be content with a spot on the bench.
Rieko Ioane
It’s been a tough few months for Rieko Ioane, and he again finds himself outside of the All Blacks squad. Wing has been an issue for the All Blacks all year, but Ioane has yet to capitalise and rediscover his best form at Test level. His poor performance in the NPC last weekend also suggests he could be in need of a fresh environment. The move to Leinster cannot come soon enough, you feel.
Dropped subs
Brodie McAlister, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Finlay Christie and Ruben Love also find themselves axed from the side after making the bench for the Boks defeat. This is likely as a direct consequence of the second-half destruction at the Sky Stadium, even though we have seen plenty of promise in previous outings. Christie, in particular, can feel hard done by here, given he has deputised expertly for Roigard and Ratima this Test season with the pair struggling with their injury issues.
Snubbed centres
Anton Lienert-Brown and Leicester Fainga’anuku can also count themselves unlucky not to make the 23 this weekend. Lienert-Brown had seemed like Razor’s go-to man in the 22 jersey over the past year, but since picking up a head-knock a few weeks ago has not been able to work his way back into the side. There were also rumours circulating this week that Fainga’anuku was set for a return to the side at 13 to neutralise Wallabies man Joseph Suaalii; however, he too has missed out on selection.
The pair will likely be waiting for a chance again next weekend, though.
