Fainga’anuku saving grace from a ‘dumb’ decision by wing
What was Mark Telea thinking — and how badly will it affect the All Blacks?
We can only applaud coach Ian Foster’s decision to apply the letter of the law after Telea’s curfew breach in Paris. Rules are rules and there is no point, even with the end of Foster’s All Blacks tenure in sight after the end of this tournament (and maybe the end of this game), in letting bad boys get away with it.
And, okay, a young man in Paris . . . we all get it. But, man, in terms of lack of thought, this is right up there with renegade American football coach Mike Leach who once felt it necessary to tell his players after a spot of discipline trouble: “If you’re going to get in a fight, don’t take your helmet off. We’re looking for smart players, not dumb ones.”
Amen. Decision-making is such a big part of international rugby. This decision does him no credit. It’s likely he will be restored to the team if they have another game but, if the All Blacks’ World Cup ends here, what an appalling error for the team and him.
Ireland are already in the All Blacks’ heads. Now a potential matchwinner has removed his ability from calculations. The bullets in the ABs’ revolver just went from six to five.
Telea’s infraction sounds minor — but his absence could be major. His are the smartest feet in the team; he uses them to beat the first tackle or two and then begins his twisting, fending path through more defenders. He has an uncanny knack for evasion at close quarters — and his work gives the All Blacks momentum; he is good at protecting the ball.
There’s just one saving grace — he is replaced by Leicester Fainga’anuku. Or to give him his full name, Leicester Ofa Ki Wales Twickenham Fainga’anuku. He doesn’t quite have Telea’s footwork and is an out-and-out power winger.
But for this particular opponent — Ireland — the big Crusaders winger just might be an opportune inclusion. We can’t hide it — Telea would have been first choice in most people’s All Blacks team to meet the Irish. But Fainga’anuku brings an extra quality.
He’s not only a winger; he has a liking for the dark corners of the rucks and mauls. He often bulls his way in there like a loose forward when the All Blacks are close to the line but, perhaps more importantly, is a good turnover merchant on defence.
That’s important because this Ireland team are liberally populated by clever poachers in the rucks and mauls. At last count, about half the team qualifies in that regard: Andrew Porter, Tadgh Beirne, all three loose forwards, backs Bundee Aki and James Lowe.
Fainga’anuku has a liking for looking for work off his wing — and the All Blacks will need that in Telea’s absence. It is also something the Irish haven’t had to cope with much — a powerful winger acting as an extra loose forward, creating a different kind of opportunity.
Fainga’anuku, however, has some ground to make up. He started in the All Blacks’ win over Ireland in the first test last year and made an impressive debut. In the next (lost) test, however, he was yellow-carded early and subbed off after 50 minutes, making way for Will Jordan and placing a rather large speed bump in the path of his All Blacks career. He was not selected for the third test, also lost.
Redemption calls — and maybe Leicester O.K.W.T. Fainga’anuku will prove the difference tomorrow morning. His middle names come courtesy of dad Malakai, a Tongan international prop who played in Tonga’s landmark win over Italy in the 1999 World Cup — naming his boy after the city in which they enjoyed the victory. Wales and Twickenham were added because Wales hosted the 1999 Cup and Twickenham was where Tonga played England.
Maybe — just maybe — after this match, there could be reason to add Paris to the Fainga’anuku middle names.