Roger Tuivasa-Sheck makes his Blues debut, Will Jordan shines and Scott McLaughlin wins his opening Indycar race. Video / NZ Herald / Sky Sport / Spark Sport / FIBA
OPINION:
Let's face it – the Hurricanes' Bailyn Sullivan was the surprise midfielder who stole the show but it will be Roger Tuivasa-Sheck's name underlined with bold strokes and exclamation points in the All Black selectors' notepads.
Not that RTS will automatically float into the team. Let's front up toanother fact – his missed tackle on Sullivan cost the Blues a game in which they played with a high degree of accuracy and had won everywhere except the scoreboard, shipping three tries in the last 10 minutes.
Sullivan was barely mentioned in the context of an anticipated midfield battle between Tuivasa-Sheck and Rieko Ioane for the Blues against transplanted winger Julian Savea and Sullivan. But he laid on two of the Hurricanes' tries – one with a dinky kick for Wes Goosen, the other beating Tuivasa-Sheck and delivering the scoring pass for Ardie Savea's dramatic matchwinner.
The All Black midfield will come under scrutiny this year after last season's northern tour; the team as a whole struggled to pierce defences in losses to Ireland and France. While noted players like Jack Goodhue, Anton Lienart-Brown and Ioane are incumbents, the midfield power that typified Ma'a Nonu, Sonny Bill Williams and Ngani Laumape has been a consistent All Black weapon – and there is a strong body of thought it will be needed against highly effective northern defences.
Tuivasa-Sheck, on the positive side of the ledger, showed his potential – a potent mix of shimmying feet, power, pace, offloads and elusiveness and, with more time on the field, will sharpen further as a cutting weapon…and in defensive prowess.
Of the others, Julian Savea was largely anonymous as a midfielder but, when returned to the wing in the second half, showed what can be achieved by a power runner with some surges in central field. Ioane ran well all game but showed his distribution deficiencies as a centre by not delivering a pass to winger Mark Telea when a try seemed assured.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Meanwhile, the midfield microscope was also applied in the Crusaders-Highlanders clash on Friday, with David Havili and Braydon Ennor against big youngster Thomas Umaga-Jensen and Fetuli Paea. That contest went Havili's way though Umaga-Jensen may yet interest the national selectors with his size, ability to get over the gain line and efficient ball security.
Havili suffered on last year's northern tour, playing in the losses and being part of the All Blacks' overall inability to cut through defences. Most judges didn't write him off, saying instead he seemed to have lost form after an impressive start to the season.
Against the Highlanders, almost a complete range of his skills was on show. He started badly – he was a defensive statue when the Highlanders worked a midfield move for their early try by Sam Gilbert – but responded strongly.
He was involved in both Sevu Reece tries and his quick hands set a move in motion that ended with Tamaiti Williams' try. His break sparked the first Reece try and one of his many appearances at first receiver played a role in the second, directing a deep pass which helped Will Jordan into space where he engineered Reece's touchdown.
Havili hasn't yet showed the offloads or the sinuous runs that marked last season but he kicked cleverly for the wings; one gap pass to Braydon Ennor looked like sparking a try until he dropped it. All in all, a skilled display, the kind of exhibition which always interests selectors, especially if the player concerned can adapt to any position between first-five and fullback and can kick goals and territory as well.
The only question is whether Havili can replicate this at the next level up – especially after he was easily contained in the two test losses on tour. Still, one of the major reasons for those defeats (aside from mental fatigue) was domination at the breakdown and it is not easy to see how, in any universe, that could be Havili's fault.
That's where the powerful Umaga-Jensen may have a shout, in time. We've not yet seen much apart from him hitting the ball up (though he did produce one nice gap pass) – and Paea perhaps looked a little more dangerous as a runner against the Crusaders.
However, the Cantabrians were clearly aware of Umaga-Jensen's abilities – and accorded him some respect. He never tried to do too much, recycled the ball well and you can bet the selectors will keep assessing whether Umaga-Jensen can translate effectively to test level.
Quinn Tupaea's successful northern tour will have advanced his midfield claims and he had a solid match for the Chiefs last week. Ennor is not at his pre-injury level of form yet but is big, fast and must still be a prospect.
