87TH ALMANACK DELIVERS AGAIN
THE 2023 RUGBY ALMANACK IS AGAIN A TREASURE OF STATISTICS AND INFORMATION, AND THEIR MEN’S XV IN PARTICULAR IS INTERESTING WHILE A NON-ALL BLACK IS ONE OF THE FIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR.
There is no room for All Blacks captain Sam Cane in the 2023 Rugby Almanack XV with Dalton Papali’i preferred at openside and the editors suggesting Cane (who is in the reserves) will be under pressure to keep his spot this year.
It’s a fair assessment in another superb edition of the Almanack, full of information and statistics, and with 122 pages dedicated to women’s rugby and the cover deservedly graced by World Cup winning Black Ferns captains Ruahei Demant and Kennedy Simon.
Cane’s exclusion comes despite the editors acknowledging his huge work rate and tackling. Another interesting pick is Scott Barrett on the blindside, a selection the editors saw reflected three impressive performances at six and that his physicality and lineout work make him an easy pick there or at lock.
All three Barrett brothers make the XV with Beauden at fullback and
Jordie at second five, where he was superb last year.
“The physical presence of his 1.95m frame got him over the advantage line and combined with his offload and kicking ability Barrett proved a very good fit,” the editors say.
Nine players appeared at prop in the 13 tests last year and the editors have picked Ethan de Groot and Tyrel Lomax as their starting pair. Neither was wanted for the Ireland series but had established themselves as first choice picks by the end of the year.
Lomax and Scott Barrett are also two of the five players of the year with, quite rightly and predictably, Ardie Savea and Samisoni Taukei’aho two of the others.
Shaun Stevenson is the fifth and off the back of some excellent early season form with the Chiefs there is growing speculation he could push his way into the All Blacks despite the depth of established talent at fullback and wing.
Demant is the Almanack’s female player of the year with Santo Taumata the promising player of the year. The women’s XV is predictable and reflects the wonderful Black Ferns XV that won the World Cup.
Quite rightly, the editors have a crack at the World Cup organisers for basing the games in Auckland and Whangarei only and they note that of the 11 tests the Black Ferns played last year only one, in Christchurch, was played outside the upper North Island.
“It is rare,” the editors say, “for the Black Ferns to play tests in the lower North Island and South Island.”
Of the 38 tests they have played in New Zealand, three have been in Christchurch, two each in Wellington and Palmerston North and one each in Whanganui and Dunedin.
“New Zealand Rugby endeavours to share the All Blacks tests around the country. To do likewise with the Black Ferns would go a long way in helping to promote women’s rugby.”
There is a lovely touch at the end of the book where the deaths of hugely respected journalists Dave Campbell and Dave Leggat are acknowledged. Both were fantastic men.