Questions for 2020
PC: Retallick. Depth at lock is pretty thin and no-one hits rucks harder than the big man.
LH: Has to be Retallick. Four of those guys lost their spot in the starting team, while Read is past his best. Retallick is still a player who, when fit, is one of the best in the world at his position.
5. In 2020 the All Blacks host Wales (two tests) and Scotland in July, will try to win back the Rugby Championship, attempt to defend the Bledisloe Cup, then go on a northern tour which features a match against England. How do you see their season going?
AG: The rebuilding Welsh under new coach Wayne Pivac will be put away. The Rugby Championship will be back in the ABs’ hands because the Springboks won’t be the same force as at the World Cup.
The Bledisloe is retained, but I expect the Wallabies to be immediately more competitive if Rennie is appointed their coach. The rematch with England goes the ABs’ way too, with a few new tricks to combat Eddie Jones’ men.
RVR: Firstly, how refreshing it will be not to have the World Cup or a Lions tour shadowing everything else. Prediction time: Take this with a grain of salt, given we have no idea who will be running the ship, but the All Blacks will go unbeaten in July, win the Rugby Championship and retain the Bledisloe. As for England at Twickenham next November, toss the coin.
PC: Wales and Scotland will be exhausted but the Springboks will be hard to beat in South Africa and that England test looks tough as well.
LH: It should go well. I doubt they will go undefeated, but they should recapture the RC and retain the BC given South Africa and Australia both have similar issues with players departing and retiring.
6. Should Beauden Barrett stay at fullback or go back to first five-eighth?
AG: Stay at fullback. No doubt he’s a great No 10 but he’s adaptable enough to be a force at No 15 at test level too. He showed some great touches at the World Cup and his combination with Richie Mo’unga should be given more time.
RVR: Richie Mo’unga remains the best first five-eighth in the country, so Barrett stays put.
PC: He’ll play No 10 for the Blues so primarily consider him as a No
10. It should come down to a selection shootout between Barrett and Mo’unga.
LH: The dual playmakers thing seemed to be working quite well until England shut them down. A lot of this will be determined by who is the next coach, with Foster likely to want to continue with it, while a new coach might want to change it up. I’d like to see Barrett back at 10.
7. What to do with a fit-again Damian McKenzie?
AG: Get him straight back into the All Blacks squad, as the bench utility back. He’s a match-winner and should be the man injected at fullback for the final 20 minutes of games, and pressing for a start, which could shift Barrett to No 10 and put the heat on Mo’unga.
RVR: Essentially, he should take Jordie Barrett’s utility spot. McKenzie is just the kind of livewire you want to inject off the pine.
PC: If the Chiefs pick him at No 15, consider him as either the starting fullback or bench option.
LH: Play him at fullback with Barrett at 10.
8. Jordie Barrett – yeah or nah?
AG: Nah. Can do plenty of things, but looks to be the master of none. With SBW and Crotty leaving, it could be that Barrett is considered in his preferred spot of No 12, but Ngani Laumape is ahead of him in that queue.
RVR: It’s a no, at least for now. Let’s hope the Hurricanes don’t shift him around too much next year. Let him find a groove.
PC: It’s hard to see where he fits in. Needs a big Super Rugby campaign at fullback to stay in the picture.
LH: Not right now, but another year of Super Rugby should see him progress to a ‘yeah’.
9. Which player has most to gain in Super Rugby 2020?
AG: Dalton Papalii. With Read and Todd departing, the loose forward mix will get a revamp. Liam Squire and Luke Jacobson will come back into the reckoning, but Papalii is another openside option. Huge presence over the ball, and his breakdown presence will be welcomed by the All Blacks.
RVR: It really is make-or-break time for Blues No 8 Akira Ioane. Kieran Read’s retirement has opened the door, but can Ioane fulfil the potential of his massive frame? There were a few signs in the early stages of this year’s competition he was coming right, before coach Leon MacDonald burnt him out.
PC: Blues loose forward Tom Robinson can make a good case for being an All Black. His size, mobility and aggression would seem to be a good fit at No 6.
LH: Luke Jacobson. Another strong season and he can lock down the No 6 jersey, so long as Ardie Savea is moving back to seven or eight.
10. Who are five uncapped test players we will see for the All Blacks at World Cup 2023?
AG: Ayden Johnstone, James Blackwell, Folau Fakatava, Quinn Tupaea, Will Jordan.
RVR: Ayden Johnstone, Alex Fidow, Folau Fakatava, Quinn Tupaea, Will Jordan.
PC: Alex Fidow, Pari Pari Parkinson, Tom Robinson, Caleb Clarke, Will Jordan.
LH: Alex Fidow, Asafo Aumua, Pari Pari Parkinson, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Emoni Narawa.