Gregor Paul: What to expect in strange All Blacks squad

All Blacks players sing the New Zealand national anthem during The Rugby Championship match between the Argentina Pumas and the New Zealand All Blacks. Photo / Getty Images.

OPINION:

It's unlikely that the All Blacks squad named to play Ireland will be a classic case of out with the old and in with the new.

With 36 players to be named, the selectors have the luxury at this stage of the World Cup cycle of bringing in a handful of new players without yet having to discard those older sorts who they can't yet be sure still have the physical and mental attributes to play at the highest level.

It will be a strange case of in with the old and in with the new as we could see as many as six, possibly seven, uncapped All Blacks and yet barely a high-profile casualty.

The cull, if there is to be one, will happen next year and what we will most likely see with this first squad of 2022 is the selectors positioning a handful of new players, readying them to make their move and establish their readiness to lead the World Cup charge in 2023.

Leicester Fainga'anuku has played his way into the All Blacks. If he's not named then it would spark a major review of what the selectors have been doing these past few months as the Crusaders outside back has been the most damaging ball carrier in the country.

His game occasionally lacks finesse and there has been a touch of the erratic about some of his decision-making under pressure, but his size, power and speed compensate for whatever subtleties he is yet to develop.

As much as rugby wants to sell itself as a game of intrigue and strategy, a wrecking ball like Fainga'anuku definitely has a role to play.

The great hope is that the All Blacks will come into 2022 with a range of clever ploys to escape the smothering clutches of the rush defences they will inevitably face, but there will be times when sending a big man like Fainga'anuku hurtling into tacklers will be just as, if not more effective.

New Zealand players perform the haka before the Autumn Nations Series match between Ireland and New Zealand at Aviva Stadium. Photo / Getty Images.

Having been brave enough to stay at the Highlanders and play behind Aaron Smith these past two seasons, Folau Fakatava is likely to be rewarded with a place at halfback.

He hasn't stacked a mountain of game time this year but when he's played, he's had a major influence.

He's stunningly adept at picking his options and it's hard to see why his combination with Smith, which has been about the only high point in the Highlanders' miserable season, wouldn't work just as well at international level.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has shrugged off his inexperience to show an impressive array of attacking skills and awareness of how to use space.

But his lack of affinity with his new code has been apparent at times in his defensive positioning and ability to shut down space.

On balance, however, the selectors will most likely feel he's a player they would want in-house this July so they can upskill him and it seems the odds of him being named are higher than him not.

That would likely also be the case with Stephen Perofeta, who, in the absence of Damian McKenzie, has been the best fullback-first-five in the country.

With Richie Mo'unga having said he's probably heading to Japan after the World Cup, New Zealand needs to be building its No 10 stocks now.

For these new men to come in, George Bridge, Braydon Ennor and two of TJ Perenara, Brad Weber or Finlay Christie will have to miss out.

If the forwards are to have a makeover of sorts, it is most likely to be in the front row where Aidan Ross, Fletcher Newell and Ollie Norris have all staked a claim to be called up, while Alex Hodgman has done enough to be seriously considered for a recall.

These young men feel like they can add more than the likes of Tryel Lomax, Angus Ta'avao and Karl Tu'inukuafe who don't offer the same all-round impact.

At some stage before the World Cup there will need to be a casualty at hooker as there are four valid options – Samisoni Taukeiaho, Codie Taylor, Dane Coles and Asafo Aumua – and only three probable berths.

Coles is likely the one under most pressure as he's pushing 36 and has been heavily impacted by injuries since 2017.

At his best he's an experienced, dynamic, aggressive player with natural leadership qualities, but the All Blacks need to see that he can still be the best version of himself.

They will be reluctant to squeeze him out just yet but he can't be picked indefinitely on past form. Aumua might be the one to miss out for the Irish series but the door certainly won't be shut on him.

If there is room for five locks – Brodie Retallick, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock and Tupou Vaa'i are certainties – it will be Josh Lord as the returned-from-Japan Patrick Tuipulotu is not immediately eligible for the All Blacks.

And if there are to be any new faces in the loose forwards, the candidates would be Marino Mikaele-Tu'u and Tom Robinson, but with so many previously capped players in solid form – Cullen Grace, Luke Jacobson, Hoskins Sotutu - the hopefuls may have to bide their time.