‘Pick four specialist locks’
The All Blacks name their Rugby Championship squad next Monday. In the lead up, past All Blacks will combine to name a squad in a six-part Stuff series. Former prop Kees Meeuws kicked it off yesterday with the big grunters up front, today 79-test lock Ian
The big three – Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett – plus Tom Franklin are what Ian Jones wants to see.
It’s a different train of thought from the All Blacks selectors last month, when they opted for three specialist locks – Retallick, Whitelock and Barrett – against France, leaving loose forwards Vaea Fifita and Shannon Frizell as second row cover.
But Jones isn’t keen on the idea. He’d prefer another specialist lock.
‘‘The Fifitas and the Frizells are great, amazing ball players, but I don’t see them as being, in my mind, lock cover as well,’’ Jones said.
‘‘But clearly for the depth of the squad, and what they need, the All Blacks selectors want those multi-talented positional players.’’
Jones, who formed an enduring locking partnership with Robin Brooke in the 1990s, was torn between Highlanders Franklin and Jackson Hemopo as the fourth lock, but settled on the former.
‘‘I really like Tom Franklin. I love what he does in terms of his consistency, in terms of his defensive work, and he’s increased his ball handling and skills this year, so he will be a guy who is there or thereabouts.’’
When Retallick was ruled out of last month’s series against France with a pectoral muscle injury, and concussion symptoms lingered over Whitelock ahead of the first test, Franklin and Crusaders lock Luke Romano were called into the squad as injury cover.
Neither played. Instead, Fifita covered starters Barrett and Whitelock off the bench in the first two tests, before All Blacks coach Steve Hansen plucked Hemopo out of the Highlanders and plonked him on the bench for the third test.
‘‘No, it wasn’t really a surprise,’’ Jones said. ‘‘I guess it’s all about giving opportunities to people. They actually know what they can get out of Franklin . . . Hemopo was given an opportunity and relished it, didn’t he?
‘‘I don’t think that means he is an opponent of Franklin, because Franklin offers a different skillset to him. It’s wonderful.
‘‘I think they will go for a fourth specialist lock in the wider squad, personally. We won’t always be blessed with having Whitelock and Retallick, so we’re still looking for that other big man. Hemopo might be that other big man, with an aggressive, physical and abrasive game to him.’’
Romano also fits into that category and, less than 14 months out from next year’s World Cup in Japan, Jones isn’t prepared to say we’ve seen the last of him in the national team.
‘‘I wouldn’t count him out. He’s got history in the team, they’ve got confidence in what he can deliver. It’s a horses for courses type of selection with a guy like Romano, where we need that bulk, which he gives us more than Scotty Barrett, more than Franklin, maybe not Hemopo.’’
One thing’s for sure, Jones won’t stray from what he believes is the best locking combination in world rugby – Whitelock and Retallick – in his preferred run-on side.
Not that Barrett let the jersey down when he filled in for Retallick against France. In truth, he was arguably the best All Black in the 3-0 series whitewash.
‘‘We’re bloody blessed at the moment,’’ Jones said.
‘‘You would have to say Scott Barrett is the third lock, but he’s also been capable, if we have any injuries or if something happens in the championship, that he can be a starting lock. He’s proved his worth at that level.’’