Hard calls coming for ABs selectors
PAUL CULLY
OPINION: The All Blacks used 55 players last year and almost 50 per cent of them will not make the 32-man squad to face France in June. That’s the brutal mathematics that underpins this year’s task for the selectors.
Overlay the need to build depth at No 9 and No 10 and the first squad of the year becomes a particularly complex job. So where do the armchair experts begin? It’s helpful to look back at the squad composition for the previous two June series, against Wales in 2016 and the British and Irish Lions in 2017.
Last year the All Blacks named 33 players, to carry a third halfback and six outside backs, but when you break down each position in both years you can see a basic outline.
In both 2016 and 2017 the All Blacks picked three hookers, four locks, three first-five eighths and four midfielders.
Of course, you can introduce a bit of flexibility by, for example, dropping a loose forward to create another spot elsewhere but those two squads provide a basic template and once you identify some priorities for this year the task becomes slightly less difficult.
This year it is crucial to build depth at No 10 - the lessons of the 2011
World Cup still ring true - as well as No 9.
Lima Sopoaga’s departure has created an opportunity for both Damian McKenzie and Richie Mo’unga.
But here’s where the squeeze comes on, even for a player such as Anton LienertBrown. If you pick three No 9s and three No 10s it becomes harder to justify a fifth midfielder.
With Ryan Crotty and Sonny Bill Williams certainties, Lienert-Brown would be fighting Ngani Laumape and Jack Goodhue for a spot.
Possibly, you could carry just four outside backs and five midfielders, with McKenzie covering No 15 as well, but that would likely deprive you of the chance to use Ben Lam’s hot form or see if Julian Savea can regain his old brilliance.
Similar sorts of discussions will occur throughout the squad. For example, you could argue that the All Blacks should pick only three locks with Vaea Fifita covering the fourth spot.
But here, shorter-terms goals should take priority. Would you really want to take on a big, grunty team such as France without four of your genuine test locks? If you want to create some room to bolster the loose forwards in the wake of Liam Squire’s injury setback, carrying just two hookers might be the better answer, with the likes of Liam Coltman and Ricky Riccitelli to be called in on a needs-only basis.
The other factor in this squad is timing. The indications are that it will be named early, around mid-May. That gives Israel Dagg and Nehe Milner-Skudder very little time to mount a case.
This is a difficult squad to pick. Deserving players will miss out. Indeed, that may be one the storylines of the year with Kieran Read, Dane Coles, Dagg and MilnerSkudder yet to be fed back in.
Last year the All Blacks went deep into their playing stocks. This year one challenge will be managing the disappointment of those who don’t make it back in.
Would you really want to take on a big, grunty team such as France without four of your genuine test locks?
Hookers: Codie Taylor (Crusaders), Nathan Harris (Chiefs) Props: Joe Moody (Crusaders), *Wyatt Crockett (Crusaders), Owen Franks (Crusaders), Nepo Laulala (Chiefs), Ofa Tu’ungafasi (Blues) Locks: Sam Whitelock (Crusaders), Brodie Retallick (Chiefs), Luke Romano (Crusaders), Scott Barrett (Crusaders) Loose forwards: Vaea Fifita (Hurricanes), Luke Whitelock (Highlanders), Ardie Savea (Hurricanes), Akira Ioane (Blues), Sam Cane (Chiefs), Matt Todd (Crusaders) Halfbacks: Aaron Smith (Highlanders), TJ Perenara (Hurricanes), Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Chiefs) First fiveeighths: Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes), Damian McKenzie (Chiefs), Richie Mo’unga (Crusaders) Midfielders: Ryan Crotty (Crusaders), Sonny Bill Williams (Blues), Ngani Laumape (Hurricanes), Jack Goodhue (Crusaders) Outside backs: Ben Smith (Highlanders), Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes), Waisake Naholo (Highlanders), Rieko Ioane (Blues), Ben Lam (Hurricanes) *