ABs facing reshuffle of backline

IN the wake of the captivating and chaotic Bledisloe escape in Melbourne the All Blacks will be forced into a backline reshuffle that could leave Jordie Barrett starting at second fiveeighth for the return test against the Wallabies at Eden Park next week.

All Blacks coach Ian Foster confirmed Wallabies lock Darcy Swain will front the judiciary for his ugly cleanout attempt that earned him a yellow card for rupturing Quinn Tupaea’s knee, leaving the second five contemplating months on the sideline and possible surgery.

‘‘He’s been cited for it so we’ll just let the process happen now,’’ Foster said one day after the All Blacks’ knifeedge 3937 victory that secured the Bledisloe for a 20th straight year.

‘‘That’s the game and rules are rules so we’ll sit back and watch with interest.’’

The All Blacks also lost captain Sam Cane and David Havili to head knocks before the incident that claimed Tupaea.

Despite not returning to the field, Foster indicated Cane later passed his HIA and is therefore a chance to feature next week. Havili, though, has effectively been ruled out which robs the All Blacks of their two favoured second fives.

‘‘David Havili failed an HIA last night at the ground so he’ll go into the normal 12day protocol,’’ Foster said. ‘‘Quinn Tupaea has got a ruptured medial ligament and a partial rupture of the ACL. It’s probably a twotothreemonth injury and we will wait to see if it’s operable or it rehabs.

‘‘I haven’t had a good talk to him this morning but they’re always disappointing.’’

With Havili and Tupaea out of action, Barrett shifted from fullback to second five, where he spent time this season for the Hurricanes, during the first half at Marvel Stadium.

Foster will now consider whether to start Barrett there next week or inject Roger TuivasaSheck, who turns out for much needed game time with Auckland against Tasman at Eden Park today.

Asked to assess his backline reshuffle

The scores

that involved Beauden Barrett slotting in at fullback, Foster said: ‘‘I liked it through to the 60th minute and then I thought we lost our way a little bit. That sort of stuff is on the cards. It’s not every test you lose two in the same position within such a short time period which was a little bit niggly but I thought the guys adapted well.

‘‘Jordie at 12, we know he’s really competent there. We know he’s keen to play there at some point. I thought he did the job pretty well. I see him as a 15 who can cover 12 so the rest we will ponder.’’

Ardie Savea, after remaining at home for the birth of his third child, and Shannon Frizell, who sat out the Melbourne test with a minor rib injury, will rejoin the All Blacks in Auckland tomorrow to give them ample loose forward cover.

As for the neverseenbefore decision from French referee Mathieu Raynal to penalise Wallabies playmaker Bernard Foley for time wasting at the death, Foster maintained his stance that it was the correct call.

‘‘He was very clear in his communication as were a number of the Wallaby players who were encouraging Foley to speed up and kick the ball out because they knew what he was doing. I think it was a very clear decision.

‘‘When a ref warns a player two or three times and they don’t listen then you put everything in your own hands. Let’s not forget all we won out of that was a scrum — we didn’t win the game. We won the game with our next play.

‘‘Do you feel for them? Course you do. It’s the first time that’s happened in some ways.

‘‘That’s the nature of the beast. It’s nice being on the winning side of it. Overall in the match I feel we deserved to come out on the right side. We just did it the hard way.’’

In terms of sparking a broader conversation about the need to crack down on the proliferation of time wasting in test rugby — from faking injuries at lineouts and scrums to water messengers running on the pitch — Foster welcomed that spinoff.

All Blacks ............................ 39 Samisoni Taukei’aho 2, Richie Mo’unga, Will Jordan tries, Mo’unga con 3, pen

Wallabies .......................... 37 Rob Valetini, Andrew Kellaway 2, Pete Samu tries, Bernard Foley pen 2, con 3

Halftime: 1010