The All Blacks have enjoyed stirring highs and dispiriting lows this season. Photo / photosport.nz
At the midway point of the All Blacks season, Liam Napier runs the rule over how the team have performed so far.
The Eden Park, Hamilton and Ellis Park performances where the All Blacks delivered on their promise. Of those, Ellis Park stands above the pack as proof the All Blacks can front away from home comforts, in the most hostile arenas, under fever-pitch pressure.
With Ian Foster's job on the line and the team's backs firmly pressed to the wall, the All Blacks' upset triumph at altitude marked a significant moment, forcing NZ Rugby to backflip on the mood for change.
Demolishing the Pumas in Hamilton and the Wallabies at Eden Park were notable, but in the circumstances of the need to respond, much more expected.
Belated assistant coaching changes underpin reason to believe the revival will continue.
Jason Ryan's introduction has the forward pack humming; the improvement in the maul defence and attack, alongside the lineout, offers a stark comparison to July. Those platforms have transformed to offer strong, reliable launchpads. The revamped front row, thanks to Ethan de Groot, Samisoni Taukei'aho, Tyrel Lomax and Fletcher Newell's promotions, has addressed the lack of mobility in this area.
Joe Schmidt's influence on the attack continues to grow, too, while his deep-seated knowledge of the Northern Hemisphere game should be increasingly invaluable.
The flip-flop tendency. Locking away the Bledisloe and Freedom Cups as well as the Rugby Championship title, while recording three successive wins, suggests the All Blacks have turned the corner.
Drill deeper, though, and their trend during the Rugby Championship of dramatically improving against the same opposition following a loss or patchy performance urges caution.
At this point the All Blacks have, therefore, earned a healthy dose of scepticism until they prove their capacity to perform from the off against a new opponent.
One year out from the World Cup uncertainty over several positions – second five-eighth, blindside and fullback – leaves little time for the All Blacks to cement preferred combinations.
Blindside and second-five head the positional debates. Jordie Barrett's exceptional performance against the Wallabies, in his maiden test start at second-five, immediately raised the bar.
The beauty of Barrett's efforts at No 12 stem from the simplicity; his direct running lines that consistently propelled the All Blacks onto the front foot and his physical, accurate defence. He looked born for the role, which should not surprise after emerging there as a teenager.
One test is too small a sample size to draw definitive conclusions. How will Barrett go with less time and space on the ball? We need to find out.
Compared to his at times upright carrying style into contact from second-five with the Hurricanes this year, Barrett's love of confrontation, punch and ball presentation ticked every box for the All Blacks.
David Havili's creative abilities shone against the Pumas in Hamilton and the Boks at Ellis Park. Yet just as his combination with Rieko Ioane appeared to gel, Barrett arrived to present his compelling case.
Foster has been at pains to stress he prefers Barrett at fullback but after the most authoritative performance from a 12 since Ma'a Nonu departed seven years ago, a rethink is surely on the cards.
While Aaron Smith remains the first-choice halfback, and in many respects pivotal to the All Blacks game, there is a pressing need to promote alternatives who run, challenge, threaten the fringe ruck defenders much more.
Samisoni Taukei'aho: The best performing All Black this season, with Ardie Savea a close second. Taukei'aho has injected destructive ball carrying, a calm, composed demeanour to his set piece duties and relentless work rate for a big man. At 25 he will only further improve, too.
Ethan de Groot: Dropped for the July series loss to Ireland – after French-bound Karl Tu'inukuafe was bizarrely preferred – de Groot returned 6kg lighter for the Rugby Championship with a hunger to make up for lost time. He did exactly that, stamping his presence on the starting loosehead role with a series of powerful performances that culminated with him flattening several Wallabies forwards at Eden Park.
Tyrel Lomax: Something of a late bloomer, Lomax is savouring a second coming in the All Blacks. He's played 20 tests since 2018 but only through starting the last five in succession – after his call up from New Zealand Māori - has Lomax established his true credentials as a scrummaging rock.
Sam Whitelock: It seems strange to include a 140-test veteran in this bracket, yet mid-Super Rugby season Whitelock appeared on his last legs. His revival since the Super Rugby final, where the Crusaders dismantled the Blues lineout, is remarkable. Whitelock has been among the All Blacks best performing forwards to justify his elevation to assuming the captaincy in Sam Cane's absence at Eden Park.
Damian McKenzie and Anton Lienert-Brown, the latter expected to return from shoulder surgery with Waikato in the coming weeks, are firmly in line for recalls for the northern tour.
McKenzie's probable comeback, after satisfying eligibility criteria with Waikato on return from his one-season Japanese sabbatical, could leave Stephen Perofeta's role as third-choice playmaker at risk.
It would be a cruel cut for Perofeta following his 50-second debut off the bench in the loss to Argentina in Christchurch, where he didn't touch the ball let alone make an impact.
Decision time looms for the All Blacks at hooker where they must decide whether to carry Dane Coles and Codie Taylor as support acts to Taukei'aho, or opt to groom a more explosive, youthful prospect such as Asafo Aumua or Canterbury's George Bell.
Lomax and Newell's rise is likely to leave two of Angus Ta'avao, Nepo Laulala and Aidan Ross on the outer in the reshaped propping rotation.
The loose forwards could also be trimmed, with Hoskins Sotutu on the fringe.
He will certainly be more comfortable than six weeks ago. But, no, not yet, is the answer. Foster should have changed his assistant coaches at the end of last year when player feedback clearly signalled that was necessary. Waiting until after the Irish series stunted the All Blacks development.
Foster has displayed resilience to emerge from relentless scrutiny and maintain unwavering support from his senior players – a key factor in his retention through to the World Cup.
The front row shake-up is a pointer to further tough selection decisions that must be made before that pinnacle event.
From a public perspective, Foster has long been shackled by a vocal element of discontent at his promotion over Scott Robertson following the 2019 World Cup semifinal defeat. This turbulent season, particularly the loss to the Pumas in Robertson's backyard, hasn't helped that perception. Winning the four remaining away tests this year - against Japan, Wales, Scotland and England - would further quell that simmering underbelly.
The first home series defeat in 27 years, the maiden home loss to Argentina and a knife-edge escape in the opening Bledisloe, where the All Blacks blew an 18-point lead in Melbourne, dictates this season cannot be considered a pass. Not yet, anyway.
Five wins and four losses may be acceptable for some nations. For the All Blacks, it remains one of the worst campaigns on record. Their heartening trajectory, with two of the last three wins coming in emphatic fashion, suggests the worm has turned. Judgement day awaits, though. There's a big difference between fronting at the Eden Park fortress and abroad. Tests in Edinburgh and the final assignment at Twickenham will reveal substantially more about this team's progression.
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