Dagg dumped as Smith stays at fullback
McCabe feared his career was over
Steve Hansen has sprung a Bledisloe Cup selection surprise of his own, picking the in-form Ben Smith at fullback and dropping a fully fit Israel Dagg for the first time since he became first-choice All Blacks No 15 three years ago.
The All Blacks coach has stuck with the back three that played the last two tests against England in June, which means there’s no room for Dagg in the squad of 23 to open the Rugby Championship against the Wallabies in Sydney on Saturday night.
With Smith at the back, Cory Jane retains his spot on the right wing and the outstanding Julian Savea is an automatic choice on the left. Find-of-the-year Malakai Fekitoa gets the nod to cover the outside backs and midfield on the bench, while prop Charlie Faumuina was a late withdrawal from the reserves because of illness.
Hansen’s fullback call is not quite of Kurtley Beale-at-10 proportions, but it comes as a surprise to those who deal with him regularly and understand the loyalty he has to players who have performed so well for him in the past.
Dagg very much comes into that category, having started at No 15 for 13 of last year’s 14 tests – all won by the All Blacks – and also 13 of the 14 played in 2012, where the New Zealanders were beaten just once.
On top of that, Hansen is fond of quoting a maxim when it comes to All Black selection that players do not lose ground while they’re injured. In this case, the Crusaders fullback would very much seem to be the exception who proves the rule.
Dagg played only the first test of the England series, won 3-0 by the All Blacks with increasingly authoritative performances, before being excused to rehabilitate a knee that was restricting both his kicking and stepping.
But the 26-year-old had shown positive signs since returning to the Crusaders for the business end of Super Rugby, playing with a lot more freedom than he had been pre-June. He had shown flashes of his brilliant best as the red and blacks won through to the final, and the presumption was that he would be returned at No 15, with Smith shifted back to the right wing where he’d been so effective for the All Blacks last year.
But like his opposite number who named Beale to start at No 10 ahead of Bernard Foley, Hansen has sprung a surprise that not only caught short a few experts, but shows that he’s prepared to think outside the square a little.
To be fair, Smith’s form at fullback, both for the Highlanders and All Blacks, had been exceptional. The 28-year-old was near faultless in a matchwinning turn against England in Dunedin, and followed it with another standout display in Hamilton, prompting a number of critics to rate the 29-cap Dunedinite the best fullback in the game. He built his test rugby playing reputation on running head down into contact, so perhaps it was no surprise Pat McCabe feared his career had finally hit a brick wall when a third neck injury left him hospitalised in Perth.
McCabe was just two games into the Super Rugby season that should have heralded his comeback from a fractured vertebrae suffered in the first test against the British and Irish Lions in June last year.
That pinnacle event was also a rehabilitation process for the 26-year-old because McCabe sustained the first scare with his neck in his previous cap against the French, in Paris, in November, 2012.
Initially the Brumbies and Wallabies utility back figured it was game over when he was stretchered off the Western Force’s home ground on March 1, but his determination – and a favourable prognosis – changed his opinion.
‘‘When I was in the ambulance I thought I’d played my last game and it was a scary and daunting proposition,’’ he said.
‘‘There were a few times where I had scans where if the injury didn’t heal as (doctors) needed it to, it would have been the end. There were a few nervous moments amongst that, but each of the times after the healing period, it recovered well. They [doctors] were confi-
‘‘While we have been very happy with Israel Dagg’s performances at 15, Ben has come in and raised the bar to another level,’’ Hansen said. ‘‘The challenge for Israel now is to get his performances – when he gets the opportunity – to an even higher level.’’
The remainder of the All Blacks starting XV, which features just two changes to the side that ran out in Hamilton, is as predicted as they shoot for a record 18th consecutive test victory. Veteran Conrad Smith returns from his fractured thumb to continue world’s rugby’s longest serving midfield partnership with Ma’a Nonu, while Wyatt Crockett slots in at loosehead prop as Tony Woodcock takes the rest of the year off to repair his shoulder.
On the bench Steven Luatua dent it had healed well enough to get back out there.‘‘
So ultimately the accident against the Force convinced him to play on, even if a wheelchair-bound Alex McKinnon gave him cause to reflect when the Newcastle Knights forward was paralysed by a tackle three weeks after McCabe’s latest misfortune.
‘‘It was heartbreaking to see and it just hit home the injuries I’ve had are pretty scary and they could have been a lot worse. Also, on the flipside, I realise how lucky I am to still be playing and be able to make a Wallabies squad.’’
McCabe played two of the three tests against France in June off the bench and will start on the wing for the first time as a Wallaby in Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship showdown in Sydney.
As he contemplated a shift from the midfield role he commanded under previous Wallabies coach Robbie Deans –a responsibility that consigned the under-sized though bighearted McCabe to sustained punishment – the law student again pondered how fortunate he was to be running on to ANZ Stadium.
‘‘There’s been a lot of moments when I didn’t think I’d ever be back here. I guess I’ve learned to enjoy the highs, but you realise the lows are never too far away,’’ he said, after being named in a revamped back three with Israel Folau and Rob Horne. and Sam Cane have been chosen to cover second row and the loose, with the well-performed Liam Messam given the match off. Promising Blues lock Patrick Tuipulotu was one of three players not considered because of injury.
Hansen said Messam, who has had a massive workload this year, would benefit from an extra week off. ‘‘He will come back in contention for selection next week," Hansen explained.
The All Blacks fly into Sydney today for their final preparations. Also travelling as cover for the matchday 23 are backs Israel Dagg, Colin Slade and Tawera Kerr-Barlow; and forwards Jeremy Thrush, Nathan Harris and Kane Hames. Charles Piutau has been released to play ITM Cup for Auckland this weekend.