ABs camp may cast net wide for some smaller fry

The All Blacks, minus the Crusaders contingent, head into training camp today and it will be worthwhile keeping an eye on who is invited, because previous get-togethers have thrown out big clues about who the selectors are considering for the future.

This year there is particular relevance because with two games and three tests in November, the All Blacks intend to take 37 players to Europe and have a proper look at a handful of emerging players.

Presumably the coaches will take the opportunity to bring some players on the far range of their radar into camp so they can start the process of embedding them into the systems.

Also, given the intense nature of the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks will end up having to call in reinforcements from outside their original squad and it pays to have a wider group having had some kind of exposure rather than be thrown in cold.

There’s also been a couple of departures — and a few more pending — from the squad that was picked to play the Lions, with Charlie Faumuina and Aaron Cruden already in France and Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Malakai Fekitoa making their way after the Mitre 10 Cup.

The names, then, that may crop up tomorrow could be a mix of players who have had a taste of the top table with a few entirely new to the set-

Luke Whitelock may be rewarded with an invitation, having answered many of the questions asked of him.

up. Nepo Laulala, who played a few tests in 2015, is likely to be invited to the Christchurch camp, with his Chiefs teammate, Kane Hames, who played a test in Sydney last year, also a strong possibility.

Charlie Ngatai, now he is putting injury and concussion woes behind him, is another who may be brought back into the frame. He was, arguably, the form midfielder in 2016 until he suffered a major head knock that kept him out for the better part of a year.

Highlanders No 8 Luke Whitelock may also be rewarded with an invitation, having answered many of the questions that were asked of him in the past 12 months. He has proven he has the physical will and ability to impose himself and play with the presence the selectors like to see from their loose forwards. Against the British & Irish Lions this year, Whitelock put in a first-class defensive effort for the Highlanders that was remarkable not just for the number of tackles he made, but also the quality.

If the selectors do look to pull in a few untried players, top of the list might be Blues wing Matt Duffie, whose kick and chase skills are ideally suited to the current nature of test football. He had a strong campaign with the Blues and his maturity and composure are assets the All Blacks know could benefit them.

Others who may come into contention include Hurricanes halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, who is a former New Zealand Under-20 player and built much to the same dimensions as Aaron Smith, with a similar fast pass skill-set.

Highlanders lock Jackson Hemopo has had little game time but impressed with his strength and mobility when he was involved and his performance against the Lions signalled he may be equipped to play at a higher level.