Burying the ghosts of Dublin
At a glance
When the All Blacks lost 16-9 to Ireland last November, Steve Hansen gently turned up the thermostat on Joe Schmidt.
His team’s defeat at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, said All Blacks coach Hansen, was proof that Ireland were the favourites to win the World Cup.
Schmidt took action, quickly.
No way, he replied. The tournament in Japan was 11 months away, he pointed out: ‘‘Steve’s probably enjoying a little bit of banter.’’
Probably so. But it never hurts to try and shift the weight of expectation to another party, to see how they react.
Not that there has been much banter from the All Blacks coaches ahead of the World Cup quarterfinal against Ireland at Tokyo Stadium on Saturday night.
The demeanour of Hansen and assistant Ian Foster has been far from jocular; Hansen doesn’t want to end his career by going home early, while Foster’s hopes of replacing him may go up in smoke because of any early exit. and
Following the loss in Dublin Hansen also noted a lot could change before the tournament in Japan, saying the first defeat on Irish soil would be used as a catalyst for improvement.
‘‘Injuries, brainwaves, sacked coaches, new coaches,’’ Hansen said. ‘‘What we do know is that Ireland are going to go there reasonably confident and they should be. I think New Zealand will go there feeling confident, too.’’
We can’t say Hansen didn’t warn us when he talked about ‘‘brainwaves’’.
Who would have thought the selectors would be bold enough to move Beauden Barrett to fullback to accommodate the relatively inexperienced Richie Mo’unga at first five-eighth, replace wings Rieko Ioane and Ben Smith, revamp the back row and dump tighthead prop Owen Franks?
The team Hansen reveals today will bear little resemblance Possible All Blacks team: Beauden Barrett, Sevu Reece, Jack Goodhue, Anton Lienert-Brown, George Bridge, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read (captain), Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Nepo Laulala, Dane Coles, Joe Moody.
to the one unable to score a try at the Aviva. He could, potentially, make up to 10 positional changes from that game.
Missing, either through injury, personal circumstances or form, are Karl Tu’inukuafe, Liam Squire, Damian McKenzie and Franks. All started in Dublin.
Loosehead prop Joe Moody couldn’t play because he had suffered a bad cut to an eyelid, and openside flanker Sam Cane didn’t go on the northern tour because he was recovering from neck surgery.
Both are expected to start the knockout game in Tokyo.
Hansen didn’t believe preparations had suffered because the final pool game against Italy in Toyota had been cancelled due to Typhoon Hagibis, but there’s no hiding from the fact lock Brodie Retallick could have done with another run.
Retallick has played only around 30 minutes, in the second pool game against Namibia in steamy Oita, since dislocating a shoulder against the Springboks in Wellington in late July.
Yet he will surely start against against the Irish. His powerful engine won’t let him down, and his brutal cleanouts will remind the Irish fetchers how much the All Blacks hate sacrificing their own ruck ball.
Codie Taylor started at hooker in Dublin, but Dane Coles could have the inside running. And the back row is expected to be loaded with the new combination of captain Kieran Read, Ardie Savea and Cane.
For those outside the squad’s inner circle, the midfield combination remains a mystery.
Ryan Crotty and Anton Lienert-Brown were very good in the 23-13 win over the Springboks in the first pool game in Yokohama. Sonny Bill Williams looked sharp, after a rough start, against Canada, but it could be centre Jack Goodhue who gets the nod to pair up with the inform Lienert-Brown.
Goodhue’s ability to defend his zone, has proved invaluable in the past. It will be a close call.