Hansen ushers in return of the Baby Blacks
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has rolled out the least experienced test outfit since the famous 1986 Baby Blacks side flattened France 18-9 in Christchurch.
The 23-man All Blacks squad named yesterday for tomorrow night’s test against Japan in Tokyo boasts just 178 tests of international experience, as well as eight new caps.
Remove the three players to have played more than 20 tests – hooker Dane Coles (56), wing Waisake Naholo (24) and prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi (22) – and the other 20 share only 76 tests between them – one quarter of those belonging to lock Patrick Tuipulotu (19).
Granted, it’s a much larger total than the 19 tests four players – Arthur Stone (4), John Kirwan (7), Brian McGrattan (4) and David Kirk (4) – had among the fabled 1986 Baby Blacks, who were selected to play France after frontline All Blacks were suspended for taking part in the unsanctioned Cavaliers tour to South Africa that year.
Rugby statistician Geoff Miller told Stuff the Japan test would feature the most new caps this century, if all eight took the field.
The next highest number used since 2000 was the seven John Mitchell ran out against England at Twickenham in 2002. New Zealand lost 31-28 that day, with Keith Lowen, Steve Devine, Danny Lee, Keith Robinson, Ali Robinson, Bradley Mika and Andrew Hore all on debut.
Two weeks later, Mitchell gave five more players a test cap – Regan King, Rodney So’oialo, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock and Paul Steinmetz – as his side thrashed Wales 43-17. Only Steinmetz came on as a reserve.
In 2005, Chiefs pair Sosone Anesi and Sitiveni Sivivatu, Otago lock James Ryan, Auckland hooker Derren Witcombe and Canterbury prop Campbell Johnstone debuted against Fiji, who were hammered 91-0 by the All Blacks.
In 1986, when the ‘‘Baby Blacks’’ played fiercely strong French outfit, joint Five Nations champions, only Waikato centre Stone, Auckland wing Kirwan, Wellington prop McGrattan and Otago halfback Kirk had test experience.
Most of New Zealand’s top players that year joined the Cavaliers, to tour apartheid era South Africa and face the Springboks in four tests.
The tour was widely controversial as the apartheid regime ruled in South Africa, and there was dismay in New Zealand, which had been torn apart by the 1981 Springbok tour.
Each of the Cavaliers were banned for two tests, suspending them for the France match in Christchurch on June 28, and New Zealand Rugby was obliged to fulfil the fixture. A team featuring 18 test debutants – including future captain Sean Fitzpatrick – pulled off a stunning upset.
Another time when All Black stocks were thin was 1949, when there were two All Black teams.
A squad of 30 toured South Africa where all four tests were lost, while another hosted Australia in two tests.
Australia won that series 2-0, with one of those tests the same day as the All Blacks also lost in South Africa.
Both sides had few caps – there were no tests in 1948, and only two in each of 1946 and 1947. Prior to that, the previous outings were three tests against Australia in 1938, the year before World War II started.
Further weakening the squad sent to South Africa was the absence of J B (Johnny) Smith, Ben Couch and Vincent Bevan, who all had Ma¯ ori heritage and were not permitted to tour by the apartheid regime.
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All Black sides with most new caps since 2000: 8 v Japan, Tokyo 2018 7 v England, London 2002 (lost 31-28) 6 v Fiji, 2005 (won 91-0) 5 v Wales, Cardiff 2002 (won 43-17). Baby Blacks team that met France in Christchurch on June 28, 1986 (test caps in brackets): Greg Cooper (0), John Kirwan (7), Joe Stanley (0), Arthur Stone (4), Terry Wright (0), Frano Botica (0), David Kirk (c) (4); Mark Brooke-Cowden (0), Brett Harvey (0), Gordon Macpherson (0), Andy Earl (0), Kevin Boroevich (0), Sean Fitzpatrick (0), Brian McGrattan (4). Reserves: Iain Abercrombie (0), Murray Davie (0), Brent Anderson (0), Dean Kenny (0), Marty Berry (0), Joe Leota (0).
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