Aumua ‘ready’ to step up
Wellington hooker ‘special’
The kid gloves are off with Wellington prodigy Asafo Aumua. Have you seen him play? asks All Blacks coach Steve Hansen with an arched eyebrow.
The 20-year-old hooker sensation was one of four uncapped players named yesterday in Hansen’s 37-strong All Blacks squad to tour north, most of whom will leave on Friday for tests against France, Scotland and Wales, as well as clashes against the Barbarians in London and a French XV in Lyon.
Aumua, who has been on fire for the dominant Wellington Lions, Tasman prop Tim Perry, North Harbour wing Matt Duffie and Northland midfielder Jack Goodue are the uncapped quartet, with all sealing their spots on the plane with standout performances in the Mitre 10 Cup.
The squad is also notable for the continued absence of grieving lock Brodie Retallick, the ongoing omission of 54-test wing Julian Savea, the retention of France-bound Tawera Kerr-Barlow as third halfback (in the absence of a logical successor) and the return of Crusaders and Taranaki utility back Seta Tamanivalu as one of six outside back options.
There is also a spot in the touring group for veteran loose forward Jerome Kaino, despite his absence for a long spell this year dealing with personal issues, and his apparent drop down the No 6 pecking order. Hansen also confirmed that skipper Kieran Read, Dane Coles, Wyatt Crockett, Sam Whitelock, Sonny Bill Williams and Anton Lienert-Brown would all be given extra time at home and would join the All Blacks in London on the Friday before the Baabaas clash at Twickenham on November 4.
But it’s Aumua who shapes as the most exciting selection, his place sealed by the desire to carry four hookers and separate the squad playing the midweek game in Lyon between the tests against France and Scotland.
‘‘This tour, with the Barbarians game and the second French game, gives us the opportunity to play someone like him,’’ said Hansen at the squad announcement in Auckland. ‘‘We need four hookers, and he’s the obvious young up and comer.
‘‘Rather than being an apprentice, he gets to play. He’s pretty special, so we’ll see where he goes.’’
But from what Hansen has seen from the 108kg Lower Hutt product, who has the size and power of a front-rower and the speed and footwork of an outside back, the signs are extremely promising. To that end, he would not be viewed as a special project on tour.
‘‘We’ll just do what we do with every new All Black – make sure he’s ready to go and how much [time] he gets will depend on how ready he is. He seems a pretty mature young man, he’s been playing well, and now he gets an opportunity to spend time and learn from three good hookers.
‘‘The future is probably where his career will be, but right now we’ll get to know him.’’
Hansen said Aumua’s form for the Lions, on top of a standout world cup with the New Zealand Under-20s, indicated the next step was well within his capabilities.
‘‘He dominates when he carries, and everything he does, he does really, really well and stands out. That’s not normal for a 20-year-old, so when you see [that] it’s not too hard to reward it.’’
The All Blacks coach described 29-year-old late-blooming Tasman prop Perry as a ‘‘really good scrummager’’ with excellent core skills, while Goodhue gets the callup after being brought in during the Lions tour, and backing that up with an outstanding campaign for the Northland Taniwha.
‘‘We were very impressed with him,’’ said assistant coach Ian Foster.
‘‘His maturity and professionalism was already at a really high level ... now it’s time for him to come back in. He’s a great linerunner, has a very good work ethic and is a great chaser.’’
Duffie also gets a deserved callup after proving himself since returning to rugby, with the Blues and North Harbour, from a stint with the Melbourne Storm in the NRL.
‘‘He’s a very good finisher, he’s got pace, is good in the air, can play wing or fullback, and has got a sense of maturity about him,’’ added Hansen.
The tour shapes as a challenging time for the coaching staff, who will not only have to manage the late arriving sextet, but also juggle the demands of preparing for the clash against the French XV in Lyon just three days after the test at Stade de France and less than four days before the clash against Scotland in Edinburgh.
To help with that, Hansen confirmed five additional players would join the squad following
their appearances for the Barbarians against the All Blacks. They are Otago flanker Dillon Hunt, Waikato prop Atu Molu, Canterbury halves Mitchell Drummond and Richie Mo’unga and two-test lock Dominic Bird.
Hansen said all were slated to play against the French XV in Lyon. ‘‘We just don’t want to go test match, Tuesday, test match. That’s not great for preparation. We think Scotland is going to be really tough and we want people as fresh as they can be.’’
As well as Retallick, others not considered for selection included hooker Liam Coltman, props Owen Franks and Joe Moody and outside backs Jordie Barrett, Israel Dagg, Nehe Milner-Skudder and Ben Smith.