All Blacks coach Ian Foster on the Bledisloe, Rugby Championship schedule and finally getting back into test rugby. Video / Mark Mitchell
OPINION:
A new era beckons and yet it may begin with the All Blacks having an old, familiar look about them.
Ian Foster has injected new, young blood into his first squad but most are likely going to have to wait to see active combat and this new era maybegin with no new caps in the starting team.
There will be those hoping to see the likes of Will Jordan, Caleb Clarke and Hoskins Sotutu given the opportunity to take their impressive Super Rugby form into the test arena and bring a touch of the unknown to the All Blacks.
What better way, after all, to start a new era than with an injection of young men, all nervous energy and free of inhibition that only tends to grip those who know what awaits them.
Let the Wallabies have an early taste of their future – see what's going to be coming at them for years to come.
Sevu Reece, Richie Mo'unga and George Bridge of the All Blacks. Photo / Getty Images.
Maybe Foster will do just that and surprise us all, but it's more likely he's going to unleash the next generation of All Blacks steadily and carefully throughout the Rugby Championship.
There is time aplenty for this next wave to see if they can play at this level. More probable is that Foster will lean on the tried and true and pick mostly those who were on the field in Yokohama the last time the All Blacks played or at least part of the squad in Japan.
This shouldn't be seen as Foster announcing himself as a conservative, naturally drawn towards experience over youth.
It won't be confirmation that he's risk averse or afraid to deviate much from the players preferred in his predecessor's tenure.
It will be a reflection of his desire to start his reign well and to try to lock up the Bledisloe Cup in New Zealand so the series is over before the All Blacks leave for Australia later in the month.
And, possibly more significantly, it will be a reflection that Foster is in fact rewarding form.
Jordan and Clarke undoubtedly impressed during Super Rugby but so too did Rieko Ioane and Jordie Barrett and while neither played on the wing during the competition, it might be where they end up against the Wallabies.
Both played superbly and both deserve to be rewarded and in Ioane's case it's hard to see that he'll be picked as a centre. Not in game one of 2020.
It's a role he may fulfil as the season progresses, but Bledisloe one is about making a statement and Ioane can do that much better at the moment from the wing than he can midfield.
Besides, while Jack Goodhue didn't have a brilliant Super Rugby campaign, he was developing a midfield partnership with Anton Lienert-Brown last year and having mixed and matched combinations since 2016, the All Blacks are in need of stability and certainty in a key part of the field.
TJ Perenara of the All Blacks and team mates sing the New Zealand national anthem during The Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup Test match. Photo / Getty Images.
Ideally, they want to build a preferred pairing, have an established combination that plays the bulk of most games and Goodhue and Lienert-Brown have the potential to form a memorable partnership throughout this cycle.
Barrett excelled at fullback but he's probably not going to be picked there as his brother Beauden will be.
There shouldn't be as much uncertainty as there seemingly is about who Foster will name at No 10.
Richie Mo'unga is the incumbent and had another outstanding Super Rugby campaign. Barrett established himself as the world's best fullback last year and while his campaign with the Blues was a bit up and down, it was mostly good and what coach would start their time in charge by dropping Beauden Barrett?
He's Beauden Barrett for goodness sake, a once in a lifetime sort of player and it would be madness to start a test without him.
So wing seems the most likely option for Jordie Barrett who has played several tests there already.
Sotutu was excellent at No 8 for the Blues but then Shannon Frizell was also outstanding at blindside and really these two are scrapping each other to be included.
Sam Cane will wear No 7 and Ardie Savea will wear No 6 if Sotutu is picked and No 8 if Foster goes with Frizell.
On balance, Frizell, with his greater experience and abrasiveness brings the skills the All Blacks need for this encounter and he delivers the better balance within the unit.
Possible All Blacks XV:
15: Beauden Barrett, 14: Jordie Barrett, 13: Jack Goodhue, 12: Anton Lienert-Brown, 11: Rieko Ioane, 10: Richie Mo'unga, 9: Aaron Smith, 8: Ardie Savea, 7: Sam Cane, 6: Shannon Frizell, 5: Patrick Tuipulotu, 4: Sam Whitelock, 3: Ofa Tuungafasi, 2: Codie Taylor, 1: Joe Moody.
