Real for All Blacks Lienert-Brown has most to gain from test
ANTON Lienert-Brown is a young man with endless potential and the most to gain from this weekend’s test in Buenos Aires.
Of the four starting changes to the All Blacks, a reasoned argument could be made that Liam Squire, TJ Perenara and Patrick Tuipulotu have equally as much to play for.
On a personal level that is, of course, true. Starting chances are as rare as losses in this All Blacks team. Making the most of them is crucial to force a change in the pecking order.
But the reality is no matter how well Squire plays on the blindside flank, Jerome Kaino’s domineering presence comes back into the fold when he rejoins the team in Durban next week. The best Squire can hope for is to prove he can handle the starting role better than Elliot Dixon in his one shot in Dunedin, and he continues to further his case as first-choice back-up for Kaino and skipper Kieran Read, both of whom have been superb this season.
The same is true for Perenara. For all the strides he’s made this season, after being left out of the original June squad, Aaron Smith is likely to return next week against the Springboks, possibly inside Highlanders team-mate Lima Sopoaga if the tour rotation continues.
Perenara deserves his start. As vice-captain, he was influential in leading the Hurricanes to their first Super Rugby title and produced his best performance in 23 tests after replacing a rattled Smith to spark a major revival against the Pumas in Hamilton. Nail his fifth start and Perenara will close the gap on Smith, and apply a little pressure. But the Highlanders maestro is the world’s best halfback for a reason, and his speed of pass remains an invaluable asset.
Tuipulotu, stuck behind Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock, the world’s best locking partnership, will make his second test start after debuting in 2014. The 23-year-old’s huge frame has been almost exclusively harnessed in an impact role and he must now bring that same physicality, aggression and offloading touches from the outset. Even then, though, he’ll only cement his status as third choice, ahead of Luke Romano.
Generally, it takes a special vein of sustained form to unseat incumbent All Blacks but with midfield depth being tested, Lienert-Brown could be the big mover against the Pumas.
The 21-year-old has been on the scene for two years and at the start of this season was earmarked for the end of year tour, alongside Blues and sevens star Reiko Ioane. Injuries to Charlie Ngatai and Sonny Bill Williams fast-tracked his promotion and he’s handled that accelerated development with aplomb.