Naholo next in fight to keep stars
If Steve Hansen has a Christmas wish-list, it would not have been a surprise to see a particular request up near the top, with the names Waisake Naholo, Matt Todd and Seta Tamanivalu prominent.
All three are off contract with NZ Rugby at the end of 2018, and in a perfect world Hansen would love to keep them all around heading into World Cup year. Given as he operates in an environment a long way from a rugby Utopia, the All Blacks coach would probably settle for two out of three.
Hansen hates to lose any contenders for his squad. It’s just the way he is. He is a highly successful international rugby coach and adopts very much a best-case scenario type mindset. The more quality players he has at his disposal, the better the All Blacks will be. Sure, he understands the world in which he operates and empathises with players who put guaranteed bigmoney deals ahead of nonguaranteed, highly contestable opportunities with their national team.
But it hurts him every time a player he figures he might need at some stage announces he’s off to ply his trade in France, or the UK, or Japan. Charles Piutau very much came into that category. So did Steven Luatua and Tawera KerrBarlow.
You could add Brad Shields to that list, too. Even though the rugged Hurricanes loose forward had not been required for national duty prior to agreeing to join Wasps after next year’s Super Rugby season, he has been on their radar, and was possibly poised to enter the reckoning with the imminent departure of Jerome Kaino (also heading north, to Toulon, we’re told).
Blues midfielder George Moala is the latest to confirm his imminent departure, off to join Clermont on a three-year deal. He has fallen off the All Blacks radar, but removes a name from the depth chart behind the incumbents.
Others are sure to follow suit sooner rather than later. If you’re a top-level player sitting just outside the test squad, now is probably your best time to chase a deal. There will be a glut of seasoned internationals on the market after
2019’s World Cup.
Which brings us to the aforementioned Naholo, Todd and Tamanivalu.
All three signed one-year deals with NZ Rugby this year, and will be susceptible to big-money offers in 2018.
None are what you would call cast-iron starters in a full-strength All Blacks team, but Hansen will want to retain all three, if possible.
Naholo had an outstanding November tour, and in the absence of the injured Israel Dagg and Nehe Milner-Skudder revelled in a lateseason run of test starts on the right wing. Right now he’s the incumbent the other two, and others, have to unseat. Naholo is likely to be Hansen’s retention priority. With his speed, finishing ability and increasing prowess over the ball, the Highlanders flyer is a potential World Cup starter on the wing.
Todd is an interesting one. He emerged late in the 2017 season as Hansen’s preferred backup to Sam Cane at No 7.
But with Ardie Savea still in the mix, and with the dynamic qualities that make him the ideal bench man when at his best, it will be interesting to see whether Todd’s loyalty continues to win out over the big salary he could command up north. Don’t be surprised if it does. Tamanivalu might be the most vulnerable of the trio. Having broken back into the All Blacks for the year-end tour, his stock must be on the rise, even if he never saw test action in the north.
And if he’s honest with himself he’ll look at all the back-three men coming back from injury (Dagg, Milner-Skudder, Ben Smith, Jordie Barrett), and glance across at Julian Savea looking to force his way back into the mix, and understand it’s going to be a heck of a task to make the World Cup cut.
Much will depend on his patience (he is just 25), his mindset and, of course, the strength of any offers that come his way. But he can rest assured on one front: Hansen will not want him to leave.