Replacing Read at No 8 not easy
It’s not presumptuous to discuss who takes over from Kieran Read as No 8 for the All Blacks in their June test series against France. That scenario has been signposted by national coach Steve Hansen and his medical staff who are being ultracareful about Read’s return to rugby after back surgery last year.
We gather the operation was a success but there is no rush to get him back on the field.
Super Rugby, the tests with France and perhaps more can wait until Read especially and his specialist advisers are certain he is ready to return and set his targets for the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
During that interval, the All Blacks will need to settle on a captain and run through their options at No 8.
The leadership choices are
probably down to two — either Sam Cane or Sam Whitelock — with Beauden Barrett the next bet if the others are unavailable.
Choosing a No 8 is more complicated because the selectors could move Cane or Liam Squire from their usual flanker roles into the boot of the scrum.
That’s a cautious approach which does not fit the way the All Black selectors have picked their teams.
They are always looking for an edge and with a surplus of strong locks have tinkered with Scott Barrett or Whitelock on the blindside to boost the team’s lineout options.
With Cane and Squire the All Blacks have two of the best in the world at their work so if they are fit there is no reason to shift them from their most effective duties.
The search will be for a No 8 who brings a different edge to his work and fits the style the All Blacks want from their team patterns.
Let’s discount Brad Shields who wants to play for the Poms and Jerome Kaino who is injured and also leaving to go overseas.
Luke Whitelock is the incumbent after stepping in for Read on last year’s tour to Europe and his industry, especially on defence, has been a strong component in the Highlanders’ combative performances.
His strengths are his leadership, his reliability, ability to think on the hoof and adjust his play.
There’s nothing too flashy from Whitelock and nothing flaky either, he is solid and dependable but the All Blacks may want more in the longterm as they eye the Rugby World Cup in Japan.
They’ll get explosive content from Akira Ioane who has put in long shifts this season for the Blues and is building his base production around his dangerous attacking talents.
Experienced rivals will challenge his temperament but his potential is a weapon like Vaea Fifita who could be used but looks more like a utility lock/ loose forward to deliver an impact from the pine with his Hurricanes teammate Ardie Savea. Savea can cover all three blindside positions and that is bullion in the reserves.
Liam Messam would not let the team down in a crisis while Jordan Taufua and Elliot Dixon look a rung down.
A familiar face in a different role with a new team has been Gareth Evans at the Hurricanes.
He used to be a flanker at the Highlanders but with injuries at his new franchise, Evans has shown another No 8 dimension where he has grafted his work rate and defensive range to his old ball-foraging habits. He is quick and can sustain that pace.