All Blacks name a powerful squad to face the Flying Fijians

ATTENTION to the breakdown will be the All Blacks’ focus heading into their second Test with Fiji in the Steinlager Series at Hamilton tomorrow.

All Blacks assistant coach Brad Mooar agreed that both the All Blacks and the Fijians were physical.

The Fijians showed the benefit of their playing in Europe, and their outstanding athleticism and good condition made them strong opponents.

There are some areas that the All Blacks would focus on for this Saturday’s Test in Hamilton.

One key area is the breakdown area. The All Blacks efforts at the breakdown last week fell well short.

Time and again Fiji’s hulking athletes smothered the All Blacks and left Ian

Foster’s men rattled.

The host eventually ran in nine tries under the roof, but conceded 11 turnovers and 15 penalties conceded.

After emerging from quarantine, Fiji only held two trainings together as a full squad and, prior to last week, had played one test since the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Yet, they managed to consistently dominate the All Blacks at the source.

As much as anything else, it is about attitude. This week, the All Blacks will commit more numbers to their cleanout.

The All Blacks forward runners were largely flat and predictable in Dunedin.

For this reason, they were regularly picked off behind the gain line which forced the backline to play off a static platform and led to indecisive decisionmaking.

On attack, the All Blacks were their best executing from set piece- the drive working especially well with Dane Coles claiming three tries there.

Hence, the All Blacks are expected to inject genuine go-forward and strike from ruck phase play. Apart from Fiji working on their shortfalls, the Al Blacks will also work on their weaknesses to maintain their winning run against Fiji.

Coach Ian Foster has named a solid side to face Fiji - George Bower, Codie Taylor, Nepo Laulala, Scott Barrett, Samuel Whitelock, Akira Ioane, Ardie Savea, Luke Jacobson, Aaron Smith, Richie Mo’unga, Sevu Reece, David Havili, Anton LienertBrown, Will Jordan, Damian McKenzie, Dane Coles, Ethan de Groot, Angus Ta’avao, Brodie Retallick, Shannon Frizell, Brad Weber and Beauden Barrett will face the Flying Fijians who have been boosted by the arrival of Frank Lomani, Teti Tela and Moses Sorovi.

It’s going to be a cracker, at a sold-out FMG Stadium in Hamilton.

Fijians will be out in numbers to cheer their hearts out as our boys take on the mighty All Blacks!

Go Fiji, go!