Timing could be right to start Sopoaga ahead of Barrett

OPINION: What selection cards will Steve Hansen, Ian Foster and Grant Fox shuffle around the table ahead of the All Blacks’ test against the Springboks in Cape Town on Sunday?

There are no shortage of options.

Locking maestro Sam Whitelock will definitely start in the second row, surely alongside Crusaders team-mate Scott Barrett in the absence of Brodie Retallick who is remaining at home after he and his wife Niki lost their baby son prematurely.

Patrick Tuipulotu can provide cover off the bench, given Luke Romano (who was one of the All Blacks’ best during the 36-10 win over the Pumas in Buenos Aires) is one of five men to return to New Zealand ahead of the second leg of this trip.

Sam Cane should return to openside flanker, and either Liam Squire or Jerome Kaino can start at No 6 because Vaea Fifita, who wore that jersey against the Pumas, is among the quintet to catch a flight back home.

Throw Ryan Crotty into the midfield, where he is likely to partner Sonny Bill Williams, and put Nehe Milner-skudder on the right wing in place of Waisake Naholo.

The latter is another not required to visit South Africa.

Then there is the old chestnut of who should start at first fiveeighth.

Here are the facts.

1. The All Blacks have already won the Rugby Championship title.

2. They thrashed the Springboks 57-0 when the two sides met in Albany on September 16.

3. Lima Sopoaga has not started a test for the All Blacks since he made his debut in the 27-20 win over the Springboks in Johannesburg on July 25, 2015. The remainder of his 10 caps have been as a substitute.

4. Beauden Barrett was supposed to be given a spell from the match against the Pumas at Estadio Jose Amalfitani, but was recruited for the first leg of the tour because Sopoaga’s partner was expecting to give birth to their child and he elected to remain at home.

5. All Blacks coach Steve Hansen might have said that Damian Mckenzie’s future in international rugby could be at first-five, yet few could argue that the latter has found his niche at fullback since Ben Smith embarked on his sabbatical and Israel Dagg was forced to sit out the rest of the season because of a knee injury.

Is it time for Hansen to play swapsies in the No 10 shirt?

Here’s a brief rundown of how Barrett went against the Pumas on Sunday morning.

1. His goal kicking percentages were sweet. Kicked four conversions and a penalty for a 82 per cent ratio.

2. Started the game in terrific fashion. Created the try for Waisake Naholo in the 20th minute, accepting a pass from Aaron Smith off a scrum, beat a couple of weak tackles - the latter with a cracker fend - and palmed an offload out of the back of his right hand to his right wing.

3. Six minutes later some quick thinking by Barrett again had the TV and radio commentators shouting like frightened auctioneers into their microphones. A rubbish pass by centre Anton Lienert-brown was swept-up by Barrett who, rather than wasting time trying anything orthodox, flicked a blind pass between his legs to Damian Mckenzie. The latter accelerated into space, drew the last defender and the inside pass to Kieran Read guaranteed his skipper an easy try.

4. Barrett’s performance after halftime was a barometer of the team’s disappointing effort in the second half. A couple of crosskicks were too long and possession was given away. A punt for the touch line following a penalty was too long and went dead. Instead of setting-up a juicy attacking opportunity for the All Blacks to either drive off a lineout or fire quick ball to their backs, the Pumas were awarded a scrum feed further up the park.

5. As the game disintegrated into a messy slog, the All Blacks badly needed someone in authority to demand higher standards. As the boss Read was the man to do that - apart from when he was in the cooler for 10 minutes for his high tackle on Matias Orlando. Barrett had to accept some of the responsibility, too. As the team’s ‘‘computer’’ he spits out all the relevant information, and can change the strategies. Some of the young men around him needed guidance. Maybe they were getting it, but their ears were plugged with dirt.

Whatever happened, it was an ugly final 40 minutes to bear witness to.

Sopoaga has perfected the art of being patient. Following a so-so season for the Highlanders, which was disrupted by a hamstring injury, he has worked his way back into decent form - as witnessed in the second half of the 39-22 win over the Pumas in New Plymouth on September 9.

Giving Sopoaga a start at Newlands in Cape Town would seem to be a fair reward for his efforts.