Welcome to the South
Flying Fijians captain Levani Botia with a fan during the team’s welcoming also in the South Island, ceremony in Christchurch, on New Zealand’s South Island, on July 3, 2021. The Flying Fijians play the first Test against the All Blacks at Dunedin, on Saturday.
The All Blacks set to set to spin the selection wheel again this week as they build towards a top line-up that is now unlikely to hit the field until the Bledisloe Cup opener against the Wallabies.
Head coach Ian Foster said after Saturday night’s record-equalling 102-0 romp over Tonga that competition for starting spots in the 2021 All Blacks was the hottest it’s been in a decade.
Defence coach Scott McLeod backed that up on Sunday when he confirmed “everyone will get some sort of an opportunity” through the July series which now moves on to back-to-back tests against Fiji in Dunedin and Hamilton.
Foster all but confirmed he would not send his top line-up out on the field until that August 7 Bledisloe Cup opener against the Wallabies at Eden Park.
Areas of concern
In the meantime there are big calls to make in the loose forwards, at first five-eighths, fullback, the wing and midfield, with one or two returning bodies set to cloud that picture even further.
McLeod said ahead of the All Blacks’ decamping from Auckland to Dunedin on Sunday that they expected a much stronger Fijian side to be a “different beast” over the next two Saturdays as they utilised their full squad (now down to 35 with Braydon Ennor’s appendicitis defection).
“There are 36 guys that want to start every week, but Ian is really good at painting a bigger picture,” said McLeod after confirming a calf strain suffered by openside flanker Dalton Papalii was the only major injury out of Saturday night’s 16-try season-opener.
“Everyone will get some sort of an opportunity, but training is their chance to show they want to play as well.”
Whether Ardie Savea (knee) and Shannon Frizell (ankle), who are both coming back from injury, are available to face the Fijians on Saturday
at Forsyth Barr Stadium, McLeod confirmed would not be known until Tuesday’s first main training hitout.
“Both are in a similar boat in terms of their availability, and we just have to test them a little bit more,” he said.
Havili fit
But the assistant coach confirmed that Crusaders utility David Havili had made a full recovery from the calf niggle that removed him from the picture to face Tonga. “He’s in a good space, ran well last night, and he’ll rock up to training hungry. He’s good to go.”
After a mostly impressive attacking masterclass against an outmatched, and well under-strength, Tongan outfit on Saturday, Foster admitted they faced some tough selection calls working towards that Wallabies clash.
“I would say in my time with the All Blacks (he came on board in 2012), there are probably more positions that we’re debating than for a long, long time,” he said.
“This is a very important series from that perspective.
“We’ve got some big calls to make, and we’ll worry about those after we’ve seen these three games.
“The great thing is we get a chance to give some people an opportunity to put their best foot forward during the training week around how they prepare.
“He’s pretty competitive.”
Big calls
Among those big calls will be the decision on Richie Mo’unga or Beauden Barrett to start at 10, Jordie Barrett or Damian McKenzie at the back, Rieko Ioane or David Havili (providing Anton Lienert-Brown returns fully fit from his elbow surgery) in midfield, and just who accompanies Ardie Savea in a top loose trio. Ofa Tuuungafasi should also be back in time for the next phase to ramp up competition in the front row.
Foster made mostly satisfied noises after the Tonga match on Saturday night, though he was notably restrained in his praise for five-try wing Will Jordan and debutant second five Quinn Tupaea.
He said both took their time to get fully into gear. He was similarly qualified on whether Akira Ioane had put the desired marker down at No 6.
“We saw his influence with the ball, particularly when he was a little wider. If we can get that accuracy when he’s carrying the ball a little closer, then we’re starting to get the real gains,” he said.
Expectation
He was more fulsome in his praise of Damian McKenzie’s strong show at fullback.
“He’s gone from being the guy that just did the dazzling runs, and getting some wrong, and now he’s distributing, kicking well and giving us that two-sided attack we love.”
McLeod said they expected a much more battle-tested Fijian side to ramp up the competition level significantly.
“We’re expecting them (Fiji) to be highly organised, with a new coaching set-up. And playing under the roof, they’ll want to throw the ball around as well.
“Most from 1 to 23 can carry the ball, and carry a heavy ball, and they’ll want to run straight over you.
“They’re actually quite smart with a lot of their set-piece play, and their new coaches will probably add a little more skill and organisation.”
It’s been a decade since the All Blacks last played Fiji - a 60-14 victory in Carisbrook’s final test. All things considered interest should be just as high this week in the south.
Possible All Blacks starting XV to face Fiji: 15. Jordie Barrett, 14. Sevu Reece, 13. Rieko Ioane, 12. David Havili, 11. George Bridge, 10. Beauden Barrett, 9. Aaron Smith; 8. Hoskins Sotutu, 7. Ardie Savea/ Ethan Blackadder, 6. Shannon Frizell/Luke Jacobson, 5. Sam Whitelock (c), 4. Brodie Retallick, 3. Nepo Laulala, 2. Codie Taylor, 1. Ethan de Groot.