Assistant Coach Scott McLeod and midfielder David Havili reveal how the team will cope with a depleted midfield following Braydon Ennor being ruled out with appendicitis. Video / NZ Herald
All Blacks coach Ian Foster has intimated the Southern Hemisphere nations will challenge World Rugby to re-think its decision to reject the ability to replace red carded players from a group of rule trials set to come into the test arena from August.
While the July tests will be playedunder current rules, World Rugby's 12-month trial will include the 50/22 kick and goal-line drop outs from August.
The 50/22 rule rewards kicking the ball from inside a team's half into touch inside their opponents' 22 - or from inside their own 22 into their opponents' half - with the throw-in to the resulting lineout.
This rule has essentially been pinched from league's 40/20 equivalent.
Goal-line drops outs occur when an attacking player is held up over the line, replacing a five-metre scrum.
Having the ability to replace a red carded player after 20-minutes – a trial used in New Zealand and Australian Super Rugby this year – has not been included, however, leaving collective frustration from the South Hemisphere nations after being overruled by the north once again.
England and France are understood to have staunchly opposed a change to the red card rule.
Referee Brendon Pickerill shows Alex Hodgman a red card. Photo / Photosport
Speaking on the rule trials that will come into effect for the opening Bledisloe Cup test on August 7, Foster expressed frustration around the red card replacement rejection.
"We would have preferred they'd persevered with the red card trial," Foster said on Wednesday after the 36-man All Blacks squad were treated to traditional Samoan ava and Māori powhiri ceremonies in Papakura to begin their three-day south Auckland camp.
"We'd like to see it trialled further. That's pretty unanimous with the Sanzaar countries. I think we might go and ask again, but I'm not sure of the chances.
"I understand the rationale both ways – red card and off for 20 minutes versus off permanently but there's a desire to ask again for it to be trialled further."
Foster's frustration was echoed by Wallabies coach Dave Rennie, who lamented World Rugby's seemingly inherent Northern Hemisphere bias.
"It had enormous support it the Southern Hemisphere and not the northern...not sure, to be honest, I don't understand it," Rennie told Australian media. "As we know there's a lot of emphasis now around head contact and so on, there's going to be a lot of cards.
"So individuals who get it wrong, they're going to get punished, they're going to spend a long time on the sideline anyway. But I just think that if we can get back to 15 on 15, ideally that's what we want.
Foster was more positive about the other law trials, though did admit Australia had an advantage as the only country to experience the 50-22 kick.
"There's five laws they've decided to do a global trial for starting from August 1. A number of them have really good rationale behind them in terms of player welfare," Foster said.
"The 50-22 is a little bit niggly in that none of us, apart from Australia, have actually played under that. It's going to be there for the next 12 months so we're going to have to get stuck into it."
All Blacks coach Ian Foster. Photo / Photosport
The purpose behind this rule is to force teams to drop another player into the backfield which should, in theory at least, open up more space for attacking. It will also, without doubt, encourage more kicking and could shape midfield selections accordingly.
"The evidence from trials around the world have been that it hasn't had a dramatic amount of impact as not many teams have been able to execute it well," Foster said. "The logic is sound; to try and force you to have an extra defender in the backfield which is one less in the front line which hopefully gives you more attacking opportunities.
"We're just going to have to be smart enough to adapt to it pretty quickly."
The All Blacks held their first training session on Wednesday afternoon as the squad, featuring five rookies and the returning Beauden Barrett and Brodie Retallick, prepare for next week's opening test against Tonga at Mt Smart Stadium.
After slipping behind South Africa in the global rankings, Foster reiterated the team's stated aim for the year: "The goal is to be No 1," he said without hesitation. "We're not and that's what we want to be."
Starting the test campaign in south Auckland has a direct purpose, with an opening training session to be held on Thursday.
"We came here for a reason, to connect with this part of our team and country. To have an ava ceremony where we were welcomed and got to know a little bit about the Pasifika culture and also with the local Māori iwi being there as well it was a special time.
"It's a chance for us to come into a community that's different from the big centres we always go to and get to know part of New Zealand and use that to fuel our culture and identity. With the Pasifika community here it's a real chance for us to link with that part of our team."
