Ranked: All Blacks backline depth chart as returnee adds to ‘pressure’ on key duo
From left to right: Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane and Billy Proctor
The All Blacks face some fascinating selection issues right across their backline ahead of the Springboks Test at Eden Park, with injuries again taking their toll.
Within their initial squad selection, Cam Roigard, Noah Hotham and Timoci Tavatavanawai are all ruled out of the Test through injury, while Cortez Ratima and Kyle Preston both remain under an injury cloud heading into Scott Robertson’s team selection.
Additionally, Caleb Clarke is unavailable, having been released to play in the NPC to gain game time, with an eye on returning to the All Blacks side for Test Two against the Boks.
But Razor is also boosted by the timely return of Anton Lienert-Brown from concussion, while Xavier Roe and Leicester Faingaʻanuku have also been drafted into the squad.
With so many personnel changes, that gives the backline unit an almost entirely different outlook ahead of Saturday’s clash at Eden Park, but how do they all fit into the wider depth chart? Well, without further ado, here is our take on exactly that.
Scrum-half
Fit: Finlay Christie, Xavier Roe
Injured: Cam Roigard, Noah Hotham
Doubts: Cortez Ratima, Kyle Preston
At the time of writing, the All Blacks have just two fully fit options at scrum-half, in the form of Finlay Christie and Roe. While it is simply a matter of ‘you’re fit, you’re playing’ at nine, this does feel like a good opportunity for both men.
Christie has had to be patient in recent times, with Roigard commanding the starting shirt when fit and the likes of TJ Perenara and Ratima coming in and out of the bench spot, but he has found his form at Test level once again and could cement his spot with another good display. Roe is also now primed to make his debut from the bench, given the injury issues at nine, but if he can perform, then it’ll give Razor yet more options at nine moving forward.
Ratima and Preston could still come into the side for the Eden Park clash, but with the All Blacks confirming both men are touch-and-go, it doesn’t seem likely. Roigard and Hotham are the other options within this All Blacks squad, but both men are ruled out through injury.
Fly-half
Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie
While scrum-half might be a problem area, fly-half is the complete opposite with both of Razor’s men fit and available to face the Boks. Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie have shared fly-half duties during Razor’s tenure as All Blacks boss, with Barrett now holding the starting jersey, but they both bring some precious big Test experience to this squad.
Both men also like to play at tempo, either with their playmaking skills or their own running game, which gets a tune out of this attack.
Israel Dagg concerned Scott Robertson has made fatal error as ‘pressure mounting’ on All Blacks boss
You would still have Barrett at the top of the pecking order right now, given his selection in the two previous outings this Rugby Championship and the way he has commanded the side, but either way both options are ready to go.
Centres
12: Jordie Barrett, Anton Lienert-Brown, Quinn Tupaea
13: Billy Proctor, Anton Lienert-Brown, Leicester Faingaʻanuku
Injured: Timoci Tavatavanawai
Razor has some very strong options in midfield, which has only been boosted by the respective returns of Lienert-Brown and Faingaʻanuku. Jordie Barrett seems to be the go-to option at 12, and deservedly so, too, given his form this season, while Billy Proctor is settling in nicely at 13 as well after displacing Rieko Ioane.
Lienert-Brown sits second in the pecking order at both 12 and 13, with the Chiefs man able to play both and owning that number 22 shirt right now, while Quinn Tupaea and Faingaʻanuku complete the options.
While it seems pretty black and white in that respect, Razor could be tempted to throw a curveball in here with Boks duo Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel two of the best centres in the game right now. Faingaʻanuku is such a powerful carrier of the ball, and while he hasn’t featured at Test level since the World Cup, he ended the season strongly with Toulon and has impressed for Tasman in recent NPC outings. Tupaea is also piecing a good run of Tests together now, and will be keen to carry that on this weekend.
Wings
11: Rieko Ioane, Leicester Faingaʻanuku
14: Sevu Reece, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Leicester Faingaʻanuku
Unavailable: Caleb Clarke
Both Ioane and Reece will be under pressure for their shirts this weekend, and the return of Faingaʻanuku only adds to that. The two wingers have not quite been at their best this Rugby Championship, notably underperforming in the loss to Los Pumas last time out.
One thing that does count in their favour is their experience, with Ioane boasting 81 caps and Reece 36, which could be crucial to any victory.
Faingaʻanuku could easily come into one of the wing spots, and sits second in the charts to don the famous number 11 shirt and third for 14, while Will Jordan could also shift out to the wing if needed.
Full-back
Will Jordan, Damian McKenzie, Beauden Barrett,
15 also seems a pretty settled area, with Will Jordan commanding that starting spot and McKenzie and Barrett the able back-ups if needed. Jordan is such an electric attacking threat, and being deployed at full-back just means they can get him involved quicker and in different spots on the field compared to when he was out wide, which is exactly where he thrives. He also finds himself in broken field a lot, which again is where he can use his pace and skill to charge forward.
Barrett and McKenzie are also more than capable options to slot in at 15 if needed, with McKenzie likely the second-choice given he usually features off the bench and Barrett is Razor’s number one number 10 right now, but they can very easily interchange if they are on the pitch at the same time.
