Cane in doubt as ABs mull changes
Steve Hansen has a bit to think about in New Plymouth this week as the All Blacks look to extend their Rugby Championship winning streak when they run out against Argentina for the first time in 2017.
Hansen looks set to have a pair of forced changes to make, with Ben Smith’s sabbatical creating a vacancy on the right wing and flanker Sam Cane in the doubtful category ahead of the All Blacks assembling in New Plymouth today.
Israel Dagg, Nehe MilnerSkudder and Waisake Naholo – probably in that order – form a capable queue of right wing contenders who are all part of the squad; though the situation is not quite so rosy on the No 7 front behind in-form Wellingtonian Ardie Savea who would be the logical starter in Cane’s absence.
Both Cane and midfielder Ryan Crotty suffered head knocks during the dramatic 35-29 Bledisloe Cupclinching victory over the Wallabies in Dunedin, with Cane’s the most serious.
Hansen confirmed to the StarTimes that Crotty was expected to be available for selection this week. But there remained uncertainty over Cane’s status.
The All Blacks were considering bringing in a replacement openside flanker, though their depth has been seriously eroded with the hand fracture suffered by Canterbury’s Matt Todd. That could see them look at the likes of young Aucklander Blake Gibson or Otago No 7s James Lentjes and Dillon Hunt who played so well for the Highlanders in Super Rugby.
Beyond that, Hansen and his selectors will also ponder the wisdom of a discretionary change or two as part of a longer-term plan to spread the load where possible and keep some petrol in the tank of the heavy-hitters for November.
There is certainly an opportunity to introduce one or two other new faces for an Argentina side that has already lost back-to-back tests to the re-energised Springboks.
The coach has made no secret of his desire to see the workloads of key forwards such as locks Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock and prop Joe Moody managed, while there is quality backup at halfback, first-five, in midfield and on the wing should net a little.
Already Hansen has lost tighthead prop Owen Franks to Achilles tendon problems and veteran blindside flanker Jerome Kaino (who will remain absent from the team this week and is set to return at an undisclosed time) to personal issues, and seen their replacements – Nepo Laulala and Liam Squire – make a fine fist of their opportunities.
Hansen said the continued emergence of wing Rieko Ioane and the performances of new faces Squire, fullback Damian McKenzie he want to cast the and scrum powerhouse Laulala against the Wallabies had been real positives to emerge from the twin Bledisloe victories in Sydney and Dunedin.
‘‘We were very happy first and foremost to keep it,’’ he said of the big trophy that has taken up permanent residence in the NZ Rugby cabinet. ‘‘We played well in the first one.
‘‘In the second one, when you give them a gift in the first seconds of the game and another two gifts after that, you are behind the eight-ball. But we showed a lot of composure to come back and some real composure in the last three minutes to pull the try out from what was a pretty impossible situation. There were some good positives there.’’
One area where Hansen definitely won’t be knee-jerk is midfield. While Sonny Bill Williams’ critics made much of his early errors in Dunedin, he remains highly thought of in the national setup. He, Crotty and Anton Lienert-Brown remain very much at the forefront of plans moving forward.