Scott Robertson has resisted any temptation to rotate his side for the All Blacks’ year-ending test against Italy, naming as strong a side as possible for Sunday’s clash.
There’s a distinct possibility the All Blacks are taking the proverbial sledgehammer to crack a nut, having pickedwhat is essentially their top team to play Italy.
The puffs of smoke chuffing out of the camp earlier this week signalled that while personnel change was in the offing, it wouldn’t necessarily be as dramatic or as significant as some would imagine. Clearly, the All Blacks were harbouring a strong desire to finish their season and would not fall into the trap of underestimating Italy, but no one was predicting that they would wheel out just about every big gun still standing.
The changes made to the starting team mostly relate to injury. Tamaiti Williams has a neck problem, Samipeni Finau is concussed and Jordie Barrett is nursing a banged-up knee – while Sam Cane has recovered from a cut head and Mark Tele’a from a damaged hand.
Patrick Tuipulotu, on the bench last week, is promoted to start ahead of Tupou Vaa’i, presumably because the latter has carried an enormous workload, and the point of interest here is that the coaching group has decided that it’s in the best long-term interests of the team to try to finish the season with a destructive and cohesive performance than it is to use the opportunity to find out a little more about the fringe players.
It’s an easy argument to understand, and head coach Scott Robertson was certainly happy to support it when he explained his rationale for picking the team. He said two key drivers dictated the selection policy – the potential threat posed by Italy and the desire to give the majority of the group that played last week in Paris an opportunity to make amends.
“They [Italy] are a passionate side when they get it right, they are a tough side to play,” Robertson said. “Their attack has improved remarkably. We know they are always going to be passionate and physical on defence.
“Their breakdown work is relentless, they hold the ball and create mismatches and extra numbers. They are well-coached and when they are on, they are tough to beat.
“The guys were desperately disappointed last week, and I think that is part of the reason we named the team.
“We created so much and the French just took a few opportunities and the game changed. We had our chances which we didn’t take, and we wanted to come up here and sweep the North and the margins are small. We have a chance to finish properly.”
Beauden Barrett (left), Damian McKenzie (front) and Mark Tele’a (right) are all set for roles this weekend while Stephen Perofeta (second from right) misses out. Jordie Barrett (second from left) is out injured. Photo / Photosport
Robertson said that there were “five or six” players who were in the balance who may have started this week had the result been different in Paris.
However, understanding the selection rationale doesn’t naturally or automatically lead to a process of agreeing with it.
Robertson and his coaching team have interpreted this week as an opportunity to keep building the cohesion and combinations of the top team, while in the past, a test against Italy has been viewed by his predecessors as one of the few occasions in which it’s possible to dig a little deeper into the talent pool.
The All Blacks’ test schedule doesn’t include many soft or softer games and if the plan is to build depth in key positions over the next few years leading into the World Cup, the match in Turin seems like as good an opportunity as there is ever going to be to afford the likes of Stephen Perofeta, Josh Lord and Ruben Love extended game time.
If they don’t play now, when will they play? Next year begins with a three-test series against France, and then it’s the Rugby Championship, which really doesn’t have any give now that Argentina and Australia have their respective houses in order, and a Grand Slam tour to finish things off.
Chasing a big performance to close out what has been an up-and-down season dominated by a repeat narrative of opening teams up but not finishing them off may not seem like a gamble now, but if injuries strike next year, it could become a source of regret that a few selection risks weren’t taken in Turin.
History shows that injuries can strike in clusters and it’s not inconceivable that both Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie could find themselves incapacitated at the same time next year, thrusting Perofeta into the No 10 jersey.
The same is true at lock, where one of the big concerns at the start of the year was the lack of depth there following the departures of Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock and giving Lord even 20 minutes off the bench this week may have proven invaluable if he’s unexpectedly forced into action next year.
And it’s the same with Love. This tour has highlighted that the All Blacks need more options on the right wing, and he brings a different skillset to the likes of Sevu Reece and Emoni Narawa.
All Blacks v Italy, Sunday 9.10am. Live commentary on Newstalk ZB, Gold Sport and iHeartRadio. Live match blog at nzherald.co.nz
