Bumper All Blacks squad all part of World Cup planning
‘Todd selection not a policy change’
WELLINGTON, Oct 15, (RTRS): All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has made no secret of the way he prepares for the Rugby World Cup and the selection of 19 additional players to join his squad ahead of their test against Japan next month is the continuation of a long-standing policy.
After the test against Australia in Yokohama on Oct 27, at least 22 of the 32 players in the main squad will head to Europe with the additional 19 players joining the rump of the party in Tokyo to prepare for the Japan match on Nov 3.
The additional players, 10 of whom are uncapped at test level, will then return home while the main squad members travel on to London to rejoin their team mates preparing for matches against England, Ireland and Italy.
The extended numbers give Hansen the opportunity to try out personnel and tactics, as well as get everyone a bit more accustomed to the conditions the All Blacks will face when they return to Japan for next year’s World Cup.
“We are trying to simulate as much as possible the conditions we will face from a selection point of view for Rugby World Cup,” Hansen told reporters in Christchurch on Monday.
“We have two games in Japan that will allow us to simulate the round robin part of the competition with Australia being first up and similar to what we will get against South Africa in terms of top opposition.
“Then the tour heads to Europe where we get two big games against England and Ireland and then a match against Italy who are part of our pool, so the tour has a lot of benefits from a Rugby World Cup point of view.”
Hansen will also be able to see which players are able to step up to test level and if they can handle the pressure that comes with playing for the world champions.
This has been a consistent policy under Hansen with the coach routinely bringing uncapped Super Rugby players into training camps ahead of home test matches.
Hansen has also previously brought along “apprentice” players on end-of-season tours, giving the likes of Ardie Savea and Jordie Barrett the chance to prove they would not be out of their depth at test level.
Injuries also resulted in considerable turnover for the side last year.
Hansen took 44 players on the end-of-season tour, allowing flyhalf Richie Mo’unga and centre Jack Goodhue to make their All Blacks debuts.
The extended squad named on Monday also gives experienced test players like Luke Romano and Nehe Milner-Skudder who have slipped down the pecking order a
Hansen
chance to force their way back into Hansen’s plans.
There has been no change to the All Blacks’ selection policy of choosing only New Zealand-based players despite the recall of Matt Todd, who is currently signed to a short-term contract in Japan, coach Steve Hansen has said.
The 30-year-old Todd, who has committed to New Zealand rugby for 2019, had initially been considered unavailable for the end-ofseason tour after signing up with Panasonic Wild Knights and was not named in this year’s Rugby Championship squad.
However, with Sam Cane ruled out until next year after sustaining a broken bone in his neck against South Africa, Hansen’s options at openside flanker are limited with Ardie Savea the only other player with test experience at the position available for the tour.
Hansen decided to seek dispensation from New Zealand Rugby for Todd to be selected for the tour, while the uncapped Dalton Papail’i was also named in the squad.
“There’s been no change of heart,” Hansen told reporters in Christchurch when asked about Todd’s selection. “He’s committed to New Zealand rugby. He’s very much in the mix for next year’s World Cup.
“We went to the board and requested that we use him with the understanding that he will be coming back to the Crusaders and is contracted to them until the end of 2019.
“They thankfully agreed and Panasonic have been kind enough to agree with us also.
“We just really saw him as being on a holiday, and we’ve asked him to come back from holiday.”
Todd will only be eligible for selection for the third Bledisloe Cup clash with Australia in Yokohama on Oct 27 as well as games against England and Ireland.
He will miss the games against Japan on Nov 3 and the final clash with Italy.
“The reason we’ve gone for Matty is because we need some serious experience to back Ardie up in the three big tests, against Australia, Ireland, and England,” Hansen added.
“That was our thinking. Some people may disagree with it, but I think most people will see he’s worthy of being there.”
Hansen also said that Shannon Frizell, who was in the Rugby Championship squad, had suffered a shoulder injury and needed to rest. The 24-year-old would not need surgery, he added.
Jordan Taufua, who was named in the squad for the June series against France but later ruled out with injury before breaking his arm in Super Rugby, was not considered as he would not be fully fit until the middle of November.