Great Call To Unleash Naholo
You can’t please all of the people all of the time. But Waisake Naholo’s selection to start Bledisloe I tonight should keep most sensible folk happy. Surely. OK, there is going to be an element from title town just north of the Rakaia who remain adamant Richie Mo’unga is the form No 10 in New Zealand, and should have started. But, with all due respect, if they remove their red and black eye patches they will see a Beauden Barrett test résumé that is almost without blemish (a certain missed kick against the Lions excepted, and it is high time we let that go.).
In the tightest of the selection calls for tonight’s ANZ Stadium test against the Wallabies, Steve Hansen and Ian Foster have gone with Naholo ahead of Jordie Barrett to form a back three alongside the classy Ben Smith and the on-fire Rieko Ioane.
It’s further evidence that Hansen is a good selector; a fellow able to peer through the fog and see the light at the end of the tunnel. And it just feels like he’s got this one right.
(Yes, he’s copped some flak for his selective treatment of Vaea Fifita. But be honest: is he wrong? The big fella needs to play some footy at 6 and get his confidence back. No chance to do that holding pads for the ABs.) There were a lot of reasons to pick Jordie Barrett, and then figure out where best to play him. His length and athleticism is tailor-made to defuse the expected Wallaby high-ball attack. And you just get the feeling that the 21-year-old youngest of the trio of siblings in this squad is on the verge of producing something altogether special at the international level.
But you can’t keep picking a bloke on potential. Sometimes you just have to accept than another fellow is flat-out playing better.
The All Blacks brains trust thought long and hard about going with Barrett in their back three. Maybe even on the wing, and leaving Smith at fullback which is so, so clearly his best position in test footy. Or maybe allowing him and Smith to chop and change their spots as suited. That idea might still have merit. But the fact is Barrett has not had the best of Super Rugby seasons, possibly not helped by having to fill in at centre for the Hurricanes over the back part. And in the two tests he started at fullback against France in June, he showed only flashes of that brilliance, and longer periods where he struggled to impact.
On the other hand you have Naholo, playing the house down for the Highlanders all year, doing everything he has been asked over the last two seasons when called upon at test level, and generally ticking boxes.
OK, he might miss an occasional defensive assignment. But the tradeoff is that breakdown work which is like a fourth loose forward. And he’s good enough in the air and absolutely outstanding with the ball in hand and a gap in sight.
So excellent call. Recognise potential, but reward form. And give a bloke who you have invested four years in a chance. Naholo should recognise the opportunity he has been handed, and crash through those doors tonight at the Olympic stadium.
Besides, it removes any temptation to shift Smith from fullback. And that alone makes it an inspired call. Jack Goodhue at centre is a good call. Sure, he’s young and raw and unproved at test level. But given as it’s likely only a temporary move anyway, till SBW returns, there is no time like now to learn a bit more about this promising young midfielder with all that raw ability. That he makes just his second test start alongside his Crusaders comrade, and about the coolest head in the business, Ryan Crotty only underlines the sensible nature of that selection. And Anton Lienert-Brown is a handy insurance policy on the bench.
All told an All Blacks team that should extend the Aussies’ Blediswoe. With Kieran Read and Brodie Retallick back, the big backline calls made and a bench oozing impact, it looks the right group for this tough task. Let’s see.
The match kicks-off at 10pm tonight.