Wynne Gray: Feast of fullback talent for selectors

Israel Dagg. Photo / APN

When Mils Muliaina left the All Blacks we gave thanks for his brilliant career and for the fact that Israel Dagg was ready to wear the black No 15 jersey.

Muliaina was a threequarter who converted his skills to the demands of the modern fullback, a pattern Dagg has followed in his shift into the test ranks. He pushed Muliaina hard for his World Cup place and when the veteran pulled up lame, Dagg rode high in the No 15 jersey.

There would be no dramas, we thought, about the All Black fullback for some time, and that was probably correct. Anyway there was always Isaia Toeava to back up if he managed to escape his recent hip injury curse.

But it may not be such an easy ride for Dagg because a number of others have shown they are approaching national selection too.

Ben Smith, at the Highlanders, and especially Andre Taylor, at the Hurricanes, with some better clout from Robbie Robinson, at the Chiefs, have shown in the Super 15 what quality they can offer at fullback.

Smith was capped first for the All Blacks as a wildcard selection on the end-of-year tour in 2009. He had a rough debut against Italy on the right wing with his only other outing against the Barbarians in the final celebrate-and-collect-the-dosh match.

It was not until last season that Smith reappeared as an injury backup in the squad and played half a test against Fiji on Carisbrook.

Meanwhile, Dagg was picked first in 2010 for two tests at fullback against Ireland and Wales before he made a series of substitute appearances, usually on the wing.

A serious thigh injury intruded last year until he convinced the selectors of his World Cup fitness in a superb return, at fullback, against the Springboks in Port Elizabeth. He has now played 12 tests and will be favoured to make the June cut for the tests against Ireland.

Dagg is a gifted runner, a safe defender of the high or rolling ball, usually effective on the tackle while his tactical kicking still needs to sharpen up after his leg problems.

Meanwhile, a revitalised Smith and an emerging Taylor are demanding they be serious contenders in the All Black selectors' notebooks.

Both were sharp in the latest Super 15 round with Smith claiming two tries in a performance which drew big praise from his tough-marking coach.

In his playing days Jamie Joseph showed a hard edge and he loved similar elements Smith demonstrated against the Rebels in Invercargill.

"Ben is shedding the shackles of pressure and expectation and he just wants to go out there and have a crack," he said.

Smith was a constant attacking threat up in the line, Joseph said, where his speed allowed him to attack on the outside. He was seldom tested in defence by a modest Rebels side and his kicking game is rarely unveiled, but Smith does appear to have gone up a cog this season.

So too has Taylor in his switch to fullback. He is listed in the team guide as a wing for his third season with the Hurricanes after playing in that position in much of his earlier rugby, but swapped roles with Cory Jane before the series started.

Since then he has been going gangbusters. Some of his counterattack has been breathtaking where his top-end speed, eye for a gap and body swerve make him a danger to any defences. Taylor also has a powerful punt and seems to be making a fair job of the defensive and positional requirements at fullback.

For so long, the All Black selectors had to look no further than a fit Muliaina, now they have a bagful of gifted contenders.