Opportunity knocks for many ambitious, fringe All Blacks against Japan. None more so than Blues duo Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Stephen Perofeta, both of whom are preparing to savour their maiden test starts in Tokyo.
Chances have been limited to this point, with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck playing 21 minutes in two testsoff the bench in the past four months while Perofeta was injected for all of 50 seconds in the loss to Argentina in Christchurch.
With the remaining four tests of the year – Japan, Wales, Scotland and England – assuming a gradually tougher complexion on the northern tour, further opportunities could be similarly restricted unless injuries strike.
All the more reason to seize this chance to make an impression.
Tuivasa-Sheck has been forced to be patient in his quest for game time and with Anton Leinert-Brown returning off the bench this week, the battle for midfield spots isn’t getting any easier.
“It’s massive for myself and my family. To be playing 12 for the All Blacks is a pretty big achievement,” Tuivasa-Sheck said. “I’m excited for the weekend. I’ve been having a lot of good conversations and good people around me.”
With Will Jordan (inner ear issue) and Leicester Fainga’anuku (family reasons) unavailable, All Blacks coach Ian Foster had the option of using Tuivasa-Sheck on the wing after he started two matches for Auckland there during the NPC.
The intent, for now at least, is to hand the 29-year-old his best chance to continue his development at second five-eighth, the role he filled with the Blues this season after switching codes from the Warriors, in an inexperienced midfield pairing with Braydon Ennor.
“We were always keen to play him at 12 for this game,” Foster said. “He’s trained a lot there through the Rugby Championship. We liked what we saw from him on the wing and it’s another string to his bow and the versatility of having a midfielder who can cover wing is pretty important.
“I’ve liked the decision of him to go and spend some time on the wing but I also think he deserves a clean opportunity at 12.
“Clearly Roger and Braydon haven’t had the opportunity they would’ve wanted during the Rugby Championship but they’ve been good behind the scenes, worked hard and trained well on the other side of the ball and earned the right to play. They’re both ambitious and both look pretty sharp.”
Perofeta proved his instinctive class with the Blues this season from first-five and fullback. It’s the latter where his chance arrives against Japan. His brief will be to combine with Richie Mo’unga as the dual playmakers and inject himself into the game with his deft kicking and passing skills.
After his brief cameo in Christchurch, where he didn’t touch the ball, Perofeta deserves another opportunity to showcase his talent in the test arena.
“My excitement levels are pretty high right now,” Perofeta said. “Once I let the family know I was named in the squad it was a special feeling and they were all really proud. There’s certainly a few nerves in there but the preparation during the week will unsettle those come game time.
“The journey has been really special. I’ve had my ups and downs before I was in this environment but to be here now, I can certainly look back and be proud of what I’ve done. This is another challenge for me. I’ve tried to enjoy each moment and keep things simple so come Saturday I’m able to execute my role and have fun.”
While the backline that also features Sevu Reece’s return on the right wing and Blues halfback Finlay Christie’s second start has a decidedly green tinge to it, the Sam Cane-led forward pack should balance that inexperience.
With a month between fixtures, and only six players returning from the dominant victory against the Wallabies at Eden Park that secured the Rugby Championship title, Foster is conscious those factors will challenge the All Blacks as they attempt to immediately regain their rhythm.
“We’re dealing with a unique situation for us,” Foster said. “We traditionally have the third Bledisloe between the Rugby Championship and the northern hemisphere tour. This year we haven’t, which means we’ve got a big gap there.
“It’s new to us to try and get up to speed at this time of year. We’ve gone through a week of a little bit of rust at the start but I’m delighted with the effort. The handling, the catching, has gone from being a 5/10 to improve dramatically so I feel like we’re getting our timing back.
“The key on Saturday is when we have a few of those rusty moments that we climb out of it very quickly and don’t double up in that space.”
Jamie Joseph’s Japan, inspired by playing in front of a 65,000 sellout crowd at their National Stadium, are sure to test the All Blacks with their pace, tempo, offloads and Tony Brown-inspired innovation.
The All Blacks are expected to utilise the likes of Shannon Frizell, Tupou Vaa’i and a bench containing Patrick Tuipulotu and Dalton Papali’i to try impose their physicality and reformed set piece strength on Japan, before unleashing their backline threats.
“There’s a danger in any test match of being drawn away from the game you want to play,” said Foster.
“They’ve had enough scalps in the last three or four years to know they are a quality team. If they’re allowed to impose their style of game on you they can really cause some issues. Their whole game is about pressure, forcing you to think fast and move away from the things you want to do. We’ve got to be better than that.
“We don’t want to deliberately slow this game down just to negate them because that won’t do us any good in the long term.”
All Blacks: Stephen Perofeta, Sevu Reece, Braydon Ennor, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Caleb Clarke, Richie Mo’unga, Finlay Christie, Hoskins Sotutu, Sam Cane (captain), Shannon Frizell, Tupou Vaa’i, Brodie Retallick, Nepo Laualala, Dane Coles, George Bower. Reserves: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ofa Tuungafasi, Tyrel Lomax, Patrick Tuipulotu, Dalton Papali’i, Aaron Smith, David Havili, Anton Lienert-Brown.
