Rugby's head problem
AUCKLAND: Having been passed fit, Ryan Crotty will now almost certainly start in the All Black midfield this weekend against France.
But as to which position he will play and who will be alongside him remains educated guesswork.
If Sonny Bill Williams had not suffered a knee injury last week, Williams at second fiveeighth and Crotty at centre would have been the midfield.
Since making his debut in 2013, Crotty has split his test career between No 12 and No 13.
When he has been partnered with Williams, as happened in nine tests last year, he has played exclusively at centre.
But in 2016 Crotty formed a brief but encouraging combination with Anton LienertBrown, with the latter at centre.
Given those two have test history playing with one another and are the two most experienced midfielders in the squad, there is a solid argument to be made they should be the starting combination to play France at Eden Park.
There is, however, an equally good argument that says if Crotty is almost certain to return to centre once Williams recovers at the end of the month then the better longterm option is to keep him at No 13 this month and promote hardrunning, specialist second fiveeighth Ngani Laumape.
Assistant coach Ian Foster was not providing any clues yesterday as to which way the selectors are thinking.
‘‘Not really,’’ Foster said when asked if there was a view about which of the two roles Crotty was better suited to.
‘‘I think we probably play a game where they can interchange. If you ask him, he is probably erring towards No 12, I think, because he gets in pretty well in the first receiver role and our 12 does that a little bit more for us.
‘‘Whenever he is 13 it is just a matter of rearranging a couple of things so it is not too hard. We have got a whole lot of different types of midfielders and I like that because I think you need that.
‘‘But the things that are nonnegotiable about the midfield — regardless of your skill set, you have got to be a great communicator, you have good to run good lines, you have to be able to throw short passes and wide passes under pressure and, I guess, add to that some of the kicking options.
‘‘If you look at Ryan he ticks most of those boxes and his ability to run nice lines is one of his biggest strengths so if you get those things right and make good decisions at the end of it then you don’t always have to be the fastest or strongest.’’
Whichever combination is selected, the key challenge will be to deliver an attacking game that breaks one of the best defensive sides in the world.
The French conceded the least tries in the Six Nations and it is apparent new coach Jacques Brunel made it his first priority when he was installed earlier this year to focus on defence.
Foster, though, suggested the French focus may change slightly in New Zealand.
‘‘Under a new coaching regime in the Six Nations they started with one part of their game which was the defensive side,’’ Foster said.
‘‘They got a lot right and so with their selections I’m guessing the next part of their plan is other part of their game which is the attack side and we are going to have to go in with our eyes open.’’ — NZME