All Blacks galore, but for how long? MITRE 10 CUP
You have to wind back the clock the best part of two decades for when All Blacks were last playing provincial rugby in droves.
Outside of fringe players being released for the odd match, and the likes of Kieran Read or Ryan Crotty churning through 40 minutes on the road back from injury, the competition has been starved of their presence for an age.
But at least 29 are expected to front for their provinces this weekend. Needless to say, there is more interest in the competition than in yonks.
1. All Blacks galore, but for how long?
We’re told All Blacks will be available for at least for the first two rounds of the competition, the first of which will be played with no, or limited, crowds.
It means a Richie Mo’unga v Beauden Barrett matchup in round two, when Canterbury put the Ranfurly Shield on the line against Taranaki in Christchurch.
If All Blacks tests are confirmed, let’s hope all 35 players aren’t bundled out of the competition. Players like Cullen Grace, Quinten Strange and Tupou Vaa’i need to be playing.
2. Spare a thought for Otago
The early availability of All Blacks hasn’t done the blue-and-golds any good, after failing to produce a single representative for the first time in the professional era. Indeed, at least one Otago player has featured in the national squad since the game went pro in 1995, until new All Blacks coach Ian Foster named a 35-man squad last Sunday.
To make matters worse, the Tom Donnellycoached side open the season against All Black-rich Auckland tomorrow afternoon.
Come on in, Rieko and Akira Ioane, blockbusting wing Caleb Clarke, Hoskins Sotutu, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Alex Hodgman.
3. Three rookies to watch
Look no further than Auckland’s Niko Jones, Tasman’s Anton Segner and Canterbury lock Sam Darry.
Jones, son of All Blacks legend Sir Michael Jones, had an injury-plagued run with the NZ sevens programme, and is now on the brink of his first taste of the 15-man game at the senior level.
Segner, a German exchange student who only planned on spending six months at Nelson College in 2017, is a highly touted loose forward with dreams of becoming the first German to make the All Blacks. He represented the NZ schools side last year, signed a two-year deal with Tasman, and is a part of the Crusaders Nelson-based academy.
As for Christchurch product Darry, the 2-metre lock raised eyebrows when he signed a three-year deal with the Blues recently. He scored twice on debut in Canterbury’s Shield romp against North Otago last month, and is expected to get plenty of minutes in the second row this season.
4. Should Tasman be crowned now?
Not so fast.
A year after becoming the first team since Auckland (2007) to go through a season unbeaten to snare their maiden title, the Mako are missing some big names from a year ago.
Sure, they signed Crusaders and Blues guns Sevu Reece and Mark Telea, and are $2.88 favourites with the bookies to repeat, but gone are the likes of props Tim Perry (retired) and Wyatt Crockett (retired).
Loose forwards Jordan Taufua (UK) and Liam Squire (Japan) are also gone, while injuries have wiped out Atu Moli, Pari Pari Parkinson, Ethan Blackadder and James Marshall for the year.
They can also expect to lose Will Jordan, Reece, Tyrel Lomax and Quinten Strange if All Blacks tests go ahead.
5. The return of Kieran Read
Counties Manukau fans can thank Covid-19 for the availability of All Blacks great Kieran Read, whose last game on New Zealand soil was meant to have been the Crusaders’ Super Rugby triumph against the Jaguares in Christchurch last year.
Instead, Read will commute from his Christchurch home during the competition and play for Counties, who he last played for in 2018 when returning from injury.