All Blacks v Japan: Selection dilemmas facing Ian Foster

All Blacks coach Ian Foster. Photo / Photosport

Keeping all the plates spinning — or trying to — is likely to dictate the make-up of the All Blacks side named this afternoon to play Japan in Tokyo on Saturday.

The selection feels like the most contestable of the year, with a spate of comings and goings this week also adding to the intrigue around the makeup of the 23. Spare a thought for the All Blacks selectors shared Google Doc or WhatsApp channel this week, trying to nut out the team given the number of changes in personnel.

Add to that a balance needing to be struck between giving players game time who may not see it again this year, while still banking a win over the Brave Blossoms. Then on another plate, it’s vital to make sure players don’t come in cold to Wales in Cardiff next week, when presumably coach Ian Foster and co will begin three weeks of naming their strongest team.

There are few certainties. Brodie Retallick, Tupou Vaa’i and Patrick Tuipulotu will all play a role, as they are the only three locks on the ground that have been here all week. Outside of that, you can create any number of compelling run-on sides and reasoning as to why each player deserves or needs game time to start the tour.

Usually in these sorts of tests — against opposition expected to provide a test before the All Blacks comfortably win — there’s a tendency to rest the captain (and a swathe of others) for bigger things to come.

However, Sam Cane only played 23 minutes in Melbourne before missing the return Bledisloe Cup test as a precaution from a head injury. It would seem logical to give him a starting stint so he’s not coming into next week’s test in Wales on the back of no rugby.

However, if he’s kept to a smaller role or rested, the captaincy becomes an intriguing subplot to the naming, with Crusaders fill-in Codie Taylor, Brodie Retallick (who did it last year against Argentina) and this year’s Blues skipper Dalton Papali’i all contenders.

Shannon Frizell also missed that final match at Eden Park and so did David Havili — both have strong arguments to play but are also expected to be in the starting mix for Wales and beyond next week.

Folau Fakatava would have got plenty of game time in Tokyo after not being used during the Rugby Championship, leaving Finlay Christie and the returning Brad Weber likely to wear jerseys nine and 21, while Leicester Fainga’anuku (out due to family reasons) would have been sighted in a black jersey for the first time since the Irish loss in Dunedin.

The Crusaders winger’s replacement, Mark Telea, observed the training on Tuesday in loaned gear after arriving shortly before, suggesting there’s no chance of a fast-track call-up for him.

The three Barretts could have played roles either starting or off the bench, with Damian McKenzie the probable fullback selection for the first time this year.

The versatile Braydon Ennor could slot onto the wing, allowing Anton Lienert-Brown to test out his previously injured shoulder in the 13 jersey, and also offer an experienced voice outside Roger Tuivasa-Sheck who is poised for a first test start.

Such is the uncertainty over how the makeup of the squad looks, it appears bizarre to think that Stephen Perofeta getting — probably — a first test start at 10 is one of the more certain selections.