The Blues could have a bolter in their midst. Photo / Getty Images
The Blues could have a bolter in their midst. Photo / Getty Images
OPINION
An explanation...
The days of an All Blacks bolter have largely faded into the distance - in the age of electronic media, instant news cycles and every top-level match in the country being televised, most contenders have been dissected and discussed for months before the squad is named.
ShaunStevenson, if he is named next month for the All Blacks, wouldn’t be classed as a bolter. Especially not after being name-checked by Ian Foster in media interviews. Any real bolters in the last few years have largely been lower-profile props (with apologies to the front row brigade), an occasional lock like Josh Lord, or the likes of Brett Cameron in the experimental side that went to Japan in 2018.
Shaun Stevenson scores a try for the Chiefs. Photo / Getty Images
If there is a bolter this year, it could come in midfield. The All Blacks took five in the initial 35-man squad for last year’s end of year tour, while classifying Jordie Barrett as an outside back - even though he then started two tests at second five-eighths.
A prediction...
There are four certain midfield selections for the Rugby Championship - Barrett, Rieko Ioane, David Havili and Anton Lienert-Brown. There’s probably room for one more in the squad.
Jack Goodhue, Braydon Ennor, Quinn Tupaea, and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck have all been used there for multiple tests in the last three years along with the four other selections. Goodhue is a contender, but he’s missed the last two seasons of test rugby so may find himself simply out of runway to prove himself. He’s not even in the Crusaders’ 23 this weekend.
Ennor has been in front of him for the champions and holds appeal, but hasn’t been able to put enough pressure on the starters in the last two years in All Blacks camp. However, he could still have the inside running. Tupaea’s comeback for Waikato in pre-season would only see him selected only on a wing-and-a-prayer in time for the World Cup and Tuivasa-Sheck’s hopes of higher honours have again been hurt by injury, and he doesn’t fit into a Blues’ first choice 23.
A question...
So if there is a spot, who fills it? Levi Aumua looms as a player of interest given his form this year for Moana Pasifika, his All Blacks XV selection last year, as well as comments made this week in signing with the Crusaders that point to a desire to wear the black jersey. His ball running and size appeals, especially in the likely scenario of using him with 30 minutes to go in major matches against tiring legs. He tops the competition for the number of defenders beaten and is in the top 10 for metres, offloads and carries. No doubt he’s built a compelling case.
Bryce Heem scores a try for the All Blacks XV. Photo / Photosport
But to bring his column full-circle, I’d be looking at 34-year-old Blues midfielder Bryce Heem just as closely as a “bolter”.
He too went on the All Blacks XV tour and the Blues have seemed to have more go-forward when he’s on the park, be it in midfield or on the wing.
In their two losses to the Crusaders this year, the Blues attack looked better with Heem on the park, while he had hands in two tries against the Reds last week. He’s not attracted much attention as a possible selection, but his XV trip points to him being in the minds of selectors.
The Blues have struggled to get much ball to their wings this year, but he linked well with Mark Telea against the Reds, tearing them apart at times, and is versatile enough to cover three backline roles. He reckoned this week that the All Blacks wouldn’t have room for “geriatrics” but if he keeps playing the big minutes well at the end of the Super Rugby Pacific season, he may go from being a geriatric bolter to a real contender.
