Widespread change often disrupts performance as combinations lack the time to gel but after two scratchy wins, the All Blacks will be expected to win and win well.
“I don’t see it as a hindrance to our performance. We’ve been mixing and matching bodies over the last three or four weeks,” All Blacks assistant coach Jason Holland said of the raft of changes. “Everyone has been getting over their detail. The boys are in really good nick so there’s no worries or excuses around first game in.
“We intend everybody to get good time. With the heat it’s going to be important when the bench gets on they make a real impact.”
From an individual perspective, established veterans and rookies have everything to gain. The first-choice loose forwards, halfback, centre, wing and fullback could all be deemed contestable.
Dynamic Chiefs halfback Cortez Ratima, following his impressive cameo off the bench on debut last week, can further state his case by showcasing his speed to the base and crisp, decisive delivery that helped spark the comeback victory over England.
Caleb Clarke will be itching to roam from the wing and make his mark after sitting idle since his hat-trick for the Blues in their Super Rugby final triumph a month ago.
Test centurion Beauden Barrett, after his match-winning effort at Eden Park, gets the chance to reinforce his dual pivot playmaking partnership with McKenzie from the outset.
After a two-and-a-half-year starting absence from the test scene Ethan Blackadder’s thirst for work will be evident from openside flanker and Wallace Sititi’s debut from the bench screams destructive potential.
And, in a start two years in the making, silky centre Billy Proctor could put pressure on Rieko Ioane.
Former Hurricanes coach Holland knows Proctor well and has no doubt he’s ready to grasp his chance.
“He’s a mature young man. He’s been close to being ready the last couple of years,” Holland said.
“He’s really added to his attacking game throughout Super footy. He’s beating defenders as well as being the concrete around our defence. He’s confident in our environment. He’s presenting to the midfielders. He knows all he has to do is do what he does every week.”
Collectively, the All Blacks must improve their lineout woes, where miscommunication ran rife against England, attacking execution and ball-carrying punch after struggling to counter the midfield rush defence.
“The English did a really good job defensively of keeping us narrow with their line speed,” Holland said. “We got into space sometimes but we need to be better with our skill sets to make sure we execute under time and space pressure.
“We’ve worked hard at little bits like that. Another part is being alive and ready to play both sides of the ruck. Anywhere around the field we need to be attacking threats and make sure it’s not predictable where the ball is going.”
Fiji deserves respect. With No 8 Viliame Mata and superstar wing Semi Radradra complementing 12 players from the Drua – six in the starting side – Fiji are largely settled under new head coach Mick Byrne. They arrive flying well under the radar after defeating Georgia away from home – and with the warning of knocking off England and the Wallabies last year.
The All Blacks, with a new-look front row, will attempt to earn the right by squeezing Fiji at the set piece before attempting to thrive with more time and space on the ball than England afforded. Get sucked into an unstructured game of reckless offloads, though, and Fiji will come alive.
“We know if we give them a sniff they’re going to play like they’ve always traditionally done and throw the ball around,” Holland said.
“We want to make a statement but we want to make that statement with our performance and the things we control around what we do well. The intent and preparation has been no different to the last couple of weeks.”
Liam Napier has been a sports journalist since 2010, and his work has taken him to World Cups in rugby, netball and cricket, boxing world title fights and Commonwealth Games.
