At a glance
The big three – Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett – plus Tom Franklin are what Ian Jones wants to see.
It’s a different train of thought from the All Blacks selectors last month, when they opted for three specialist locks – Retallick, Whitelock and Barrett – against France, leaving loose forwards Vaea Fifita and Shannon Frizell as second row cover.
But Jones isn’t keen on the idea. He’d prefer another specialist lock.
‘‘The Fifitas and the Frizells are great, amazing ball players, but I don’t see them as being, in my mind, lock cover as well,’’ Jones said.
‘‘But clearly for the depth of the squad, and what they need, the All Blacks selectors want those multi-talented positional players.’’
Jones, who formed an enduring locking partnership with Robin Brooke in the 1990s, was torn between Highlanders Franklin and Jackson Hemopo as the fourth lock, but settled on the former.
‘‘I really like Tom Franklin. I love what he does in terms of his consistency, in terms of his defensive work, and he’s increased his ball handling and skills this year, so he will be a guy who is there or thereabouts.’’
When Retallick was ruled out of last month’s series against France with a pectoral muscle injury, and concussion symptoms lingered over Whitelock ahead of the first test, Franklin and Crusaders lock Luke Romano were called into the squad as injury cover.
Neither played. Instead, Fifita covered starters Barrett and Whitelock off the bench in the first two tests, before All Blacks coach Steve Hansen plucked Hemopo out of the Highlanders and plonked him on the bench for the third test.
‘‘No, it wasn’t really a surprise,’’ Jones said. ‘‘I guess it’s all about giving opportunities to people. They actually know what they can get out of Franklin . . . Hemopo was given an opportunity and relished it, didn’t he?
‘‘I don’t think that means he is an opponent of Franklin, because Franklin offers a different skillset to him. It’s wonderful.
‘‘I think they will go for a fourth specialist lock in the wider squad, personally. We won’t always be blessed with having Whitelock and Retallick, so we’re still looking for that other big man. Hemopo might be that other big man, with an aggressive, physical and abrasive game to him.’’
Codie Taylor, Liam Coltman, Joe Moody, Owen Franks, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Jeffery Toomaga-allen, Ofa Tuungafasi, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett, Tom Franklin.
2018 All Blacks Rugby Championship squad (as picked by six former All Blacks):