September 1, 2025 • 11 mins
Leicester Fainga'anuku is back in the All Blacks after the NZR board ticked off his eligibility early.
The powerful Tasman back has been called in for NPC teammate Timoci Tavatavanawai, who is out for three months with a broken arm.
NZ Herald rugby writer Liam Napier joined Piney to discuss.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Waldergrave
from news Talk Zed be.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Staying with rugby and earlier than expected All Blacks recall
for Leicester Fighting Anukl, the seven test winger, has been
called into camp ahead of Saturday nights showdown with the
spring Box at Eden Park. He replaces Tasman teammate to
Mathy Tavatava Nahway. He's out for twelve weeks after suffering
a Bicken Forum and the Michael win over Otago on
the week in Fighting Nukl was back in New Zealand
(00:34):
after a two years in France. He wasn't expected to
be eligible for the All Blacks until after the Rugby Championship,
but the Board of New Zealand Rugby have signed off
an early release from that eligibility criteria and Lester Fighting
Anuku is as we speak in the All Blacks camp.
New Zealand Herald senior rugby writer and co host of
(00:54):
the Rugby Direct podcast, Liam Napier is with us. Liam,
thanks for stopping in tonight. Now that he's in the squad,
do you think that Lester Fighting Nukul might actually play
on Saturday Night?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Well, Scott Robinson evening.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
Bonny was asked about this at his prescurrence today and
he certainly didn't dismiss it, so I don't think it.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Can be ruled out.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Scott Robinson's shown a capacity to make surprise selections this year.
He knows les defying anook who extremely well, having coached
him for years at the Crusaders. And look what a
potential asset to bring off the bench. I think I
would be surprised if he was thrown straight into start.
(01:37):
He only came into All Blacks camp on Sunday evening,
so we'd still have, you know, you'd think a wee
bit of time to get up to speed around how
they want to play the game and the like. But
for a guy, a big, powerful, strong athlete you saw
the Trey scored playing for Tasman against Otaga at the weekends,
A guy who can cover seconds second five center wing
(02:01):
to bring off the bench massive impact against the potentially
hiring Springbok sides. I don't think you can rule that
out of the equation this week.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Given the aerial problems that the All Blacks had, in
particular in the last test against Argentina, but raally for
periods of all five Test matches this year, and given
the fact that Leicester is pretty good in the air,
do you think there would be a temptation for Scott
Robertson to put them straight into the back three somewhere.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
I think they'd certainly consider it.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Yeah, I don't know how much highball work Lester would
have done in recent times. His two years in France
were predominantly spent in the midfield playing center, but he
did play a lot for the Crusaders on the wing,
and he played for the All Blacks on the wing,
so it's not as if you'd be throwing them in
(02:56):
the deep ense, but that's certainly where that South Africans
are going to come for the All Blacks. Grant Williams
is one of the most effective at curate box kickers
in modern rugby. Andre Pollard's will hoist to the heavens
all night long. We know how he plays, and that
area is massively in the spotlight. As you mentioned, that's
(03:18):
been an Achilles' heel for the All Blacks this year
and the Wings selections massively in the spotlight we know.
I'm quite surprised Caleb Clark hasn't been ushered straight back
into this team. He made his return for Auckland at
the weekend, but Scott Robinson's saying today he wants him
to get at least two matches in the NPC before
bringing him back. For me, he is the All Blacks
(03:38):
best exponent aerial exponent that they have great in the air,
not just receiving high balls, but off the kickoffs as well,
So I am quite surprised and not looking to utilize him.
But I think it'd be very surprised if there aren't one,
if not two changes to the All Blacks wings this week.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
All Right, we'll get to that in a moment because
the All Black's casualty ward update was pretty comprehensive today
and there was quite the list. Apart from Tava Tavannah White,
two are the others who definitely won play against South
Africa in either test a Cam roy Guard and Noah
Hoth And I think there were hopes that roy Guard
might recover. That's not the case. And on top of that,
Cortez Artima is in a race against time to be
(04:17):
ready after a whack on the ribs. What's your gut
telling you? What did you see from Razor today? Is
Cortez a chance or not.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
I think he's an outside chance. He Robertson didn't wouldn't
rule courtierz Out talked about his toughness and I think
we saw that in Argentine. He's got a fractioned rib.
I've had one of those previously, just playing club footy
and bloody hurts. You think about rugby as a contact sport,
every sort of collision, you do feel that, and we
(04:49):
saw Cortez at Artima try and play on for I
think it was ten minutes after that injury eventually came
from the field.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
It's only been two weeks.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
I'd say a fractioned rib would generally take at least
a month to fully heal. So look, there's a chance
he gets a jab or sort of pain medication to play,
but it's a massive risk. I would have thought to
throw a guy in there who is carrying their injury,
who could potentially take another knock against some of the
biggest bodies in world rugby, and then you're you know,
(05:21):
you're down one man for the rest of the game.
The All Blacks will weigh that up against. I got
Finlay Christie, who has experienced against bringing Kyle Preston a
rookie into such a massive occasion, arguably the biggest on
New Zealand shows, certainly since the Lions tour, but arguably
since the twenty eleven you know, World Cup final. So
(05:43):
look at his unfortunate for the All Blacks, isn't it.
They've been hard in one area, as you mentioned with
the Royguard Hotham Ratma, it is an area of strength
and depth, but they are really digging deep. For me
when I look at it from the outside. The fact
I've called an Xavier rose just to me that Cortez
won't play this week, but Razers said today they are
(06:04):
giving him every chance to prove his fitness.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Court is this week.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
What do you think they'll do in the back three?
Speaker 4 (06:13):
I think I would like to see Ammonia Lara come
into the mix. Look, there's an argument that Will Jordan's
probably the All Black's best wing, but I don't think
they'll move him from fullback, so he stays there. They
do need to support him because he was left isolated
on many occasions against the Pumas. So I think Will
Jordan's at fullback. I think maybe Ammonia Laraua comes on
(06:38):
one wing and maybe they retain Rikulwhany. But look, he
Rico really needs to improve not just as high ball
work defensively, but also chasing and contesting kicks because that's
just as much an issue for the All Blacks for
me at the moment because they're not winning back those
(06:59):
contestable kicks. So look, Razor is a very loyal selector
up into a point, but the the form of the
All Blacks wingers is massively in the spotlight, and we
know how the Springboks are going to play, we know
they're going to be targeted there. So the other element
to this pointy is Wayne Smith is in camp this
(07:19):
week and one of his strengths is counterattack, and so
can the All Black If the O Blacks can diffuse
some of those kicks from the Springboks, they could potentially
conditions dictating and use it to their advantage by sparking
some form of counterattack. And I think Wayne Smith might
have a few nuggets of gold there. We know Caleb
(07:39):
Clark's not going to be there, leicsterifying a look, who's
an outside chance. I don't see them throwing lee Roy
Carter into the mix, just a rookie on that occasion
being peppered. He's not the biggest wing going around, so
that would be high risk as well.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Any chance that mover echo You're money back into center.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
Possibly, But look, I think it would be a big
knock for Billy Proctor's confidence. I think you've got to
stick with him. You've invested in him this year. You
probably much said that Jordie and Billy is your preferred
combination in the midfield. For me, it would be a
backward step to change that up now, So I don't
(08:22):
see them making that change, But yeah, couldn't totally rule
it out.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Are they all in on two poor v at six?
Feels like they are.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
It does, but there's probably an element that Fabian Hollands
is showing signs of fatigue. A young guy thrust into
the Test arena. He was replaced in the defeat to
the Pumas in Argentina, but prior to that played four
tests pretty much eighty minute performances. I think he came
off late in quarterbar with cramp, but huge workload throughout
(08:56):
the high end of the season straight into the Test arena,
certainly showing some signs of fatigue. So I wouldn't be
adverse to Tupo going back into Locke and looking to
bring some punch off the bench there, I think you'll
see a Wallace a Tezi go Earty to seven. So
maybe Simon Parker could start at six. I certainly feel
like he's more of a six than an eight, so
(09:18):
I wouldn't rule out that possibility. But they do like
two post size at six. He offers them a strong
line out presence, and if you look at what he
did in the French series, we probably haven't seen that
form replicated against Argentina against better quality opposition than what
France brought out. But they do like that that big
(09:41):
lock size presence at six, and Simon Parker is a
similar size figure, so I think it'd be one of
those two.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Do you think they would ever entertain the possibility of
a six to two bench split? Have a half back
there and Damien McKenzie perhaps, and then they've got cover
across their starting back line to cover the back line.
Do you think they'd entertain a six to two split?
Speaker 4 (10:04):
I think if it's ever going to be on the
table for the spring box, the only danger for me,
Piney is that you're almost being sucked into how the
spring box want to play and you're almost better off
doubling down on your strengths. And it would be easy
for the All Blacks this week, with given the magnitude
of the ocasion, given the fact they're coming off a defeat,
(10:24):
to be conservative, to go into their shelves, to play
no frills, for the to try and to be sucked
into the kicking game territory kicking for points. But for me,
the All Blacks need to be brave, they need to play,
they need to back their skills, They need to stretch
the spring box and almost take a leaf out of
what the Wallabies did in South Africa because they brought
(10:46):
fatigue into the game and they broke the spring box open.
And that's for me whether the All Black strengths lies.
So yes, you could go six to two and try
and meet fire with fire because it's not as much
of a risk for the All Blacks when you look
at the versatility across that back line. You know Boden
Barrett can go back to full back, recol One if
(11:06):
he's on the wing, can go into the midfield. Jordi
Barrett can cover any number of positions. Damien McKenzie gives
you that flexibility, so you have the breadth of cover
of replacements with the backs, so it's not not as
much of a risk for the All blacks. But there
is an elements of yeah playing being sucked into what
(11:28):
the springbox want you to do, and that's a danger
for me.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Jee. It's a fascinating week ahead. I can't believe it's
only Monday. I'm not quite sure I'm having going to
get to Saturday, but this conversation has certainly helped. Liam.
Thanks for joining us tonight, mate. We'll see a bit
later in the week.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Jeers, Bunny good Man.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
That's Liam Nape, you New Zealand Herald senior rugby rider
with his thoughts.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talk
sai'd Be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Waldergrave
from news Talk Zed be.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Staying with rugby and earlier than expected All Blacks recall
for Leicester Fighting Anukl, the seven test winger, has been
called into camp ahead of Saturday nights showdown with the
spring Box at Eden Park. He replaces Tasman teammate to
Mathy Tavatava Nahway. He's out for twelve weeks after suffering
a Bicken Forum and the Michael win over Otago on
the week in Fighting Nukl was back in New Zealand
(00:34):
after a two years in France. He wasn't expected to
be eligible for the All Blacks until after the Rugby Championship,
but the Board of New Zealand Rugby have signed off
an early release from that eligibility criteria and Lester Fighting
Anuku is as we speak in the All Blacks camp.
New Zealand Herald senior rugby writer and co host of
(00:54):
the Rugby Direct podcast, Liam Napier is with us. Liam,
thanks for stopping in tonight. Now that he's in the squad,
do you think that Lester Fighting Nukul might actually play
on Saturday Night?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Well, Scott Robinson evening.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
Bonny was asked about this at his prescurrence today and
he certainly didn't dismiss it, so I don't think it.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Can be ruled out.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Scott Robinson's shown a capacity to make surprise selections this year.
He knows les defying anook who extremely well, having coached
him for years at the Crusaders. And look what a
potential asset to bring off the bench. I think I
would be surprised if he was thrown straight into start.
(01:37):
He only came into All Blacks camp on Sunday evening,
so we'd still have, you know, you'd think a wee
bit of time to get up to speed around how
they want to play the game and the like. But
for a guy, a big, powerful, strong athlete you saw
the Trey scored playing for Tasman against Otaga at the weekends,
A guy who can cover seconds second five center wing
(02:01):
to bring off the bench massive impact against the potentially
hiring Springbok sides. I don't think you can rule that
out of the equation this week.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Given the aerial problems that the All Blacks had, in
particular in the last test against Argentina, but raally for
periods of all five Test matches this year, and given
the fact that Leicester is pretty good in the air,
do you think there would be a temptation for Scott
Robertson to put them straight into the back three somewhere.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
I think they'd certainly consider it.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Yeah, I don't know how much highball work Lester would
have done in recent times. His two years in France
were predominantly spent in the midfield playing center, but he
did play a lot for the Crusaders on the wing,
and he played for the All Blacks on the wing,
so it's not as if you'd be throwing them in
(02:56):
the deep ense, but that's certainly where that South Africans
are going to come for the All Blacks. Grant Williams
is one of the most effective at curate box kickers
in modern rugby. Andre Pollard's will hoist to the heavens
all night long. We know how he plays, and that
area is massively in the spotlight. As you mentioned, that's
(03:18):
been an Achilles' heel for the All Blacks this year
and the Wings selections massively in the spotlight we know.
I'm quite surprised Caleb Clark hasn't been ushered straight back
into this team. He made his return for Auckland at
the weekend, but Scott Robinson's saying today he wants him
to get at least two matches in the NPC before
bringing him back. For me, he is the All Blacks
(03:38):
best exponent aerial exponent that they have great in the air,
not just receiving high balls, but off the kickoffs as well,
So I am quite surprised and not looking to utilize him.
But I think it'd be very surprised if there aren't one,
if not two changes to the All Blacks wings this week.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
All Right, we'll get to that in a moment because
the All Black's casualty ward update was pretty comprehensive today
and there was quite the list. Apart from Tava Tavannah White,
two are the others who definitely won play against South
Africa in either test a Cam roy Guard and Noah
Hoth And I think there were hopes that roy Guard
might recover. That's not the case. And on top of that,
Cortez Artima is in a race against time to be
(04:17):
ready after a whack on the ribs. What's your gut
telling you? What did you see from Razor today? Is
Cortez a chance or not.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
I think he's an outside chance. He Robertson didn't wouldn't
rule courtierz Out talked about his toughness and I think
we saw that in Argentine. He's got a fractioned rib.
I've had one of those previously, just playing club footy
and bloody hurts. You think about rugby as a contact sport,
every sort of collision, you do feel that, and we
(04:49):
saw Cortez at Artima try and play on for I
think it was ten minutes after that injury eventually came
from the field.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
It's only been two weeks.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
I'd say a fractioned rib would generally take at least
a month to fully heal. So look, there's a chance
he gets a jab or sort of pain medication to play,
but it's a massive risk. I would have thought to
throw a guy in there who is carrying their injury,
who could potentially take another knock against some of the
biggest bodies in world rugby, and then you're you know,
(05:21):
you're down one man for the rest of the game.
The All Blacks will weigh that up against. I got
Finlay Christie, who has experienced against bringing Kyle Preston a
rookie into such a massive occasion, arguably the biggest on
New Zealand shows, certainly since the Lions tour, but arguably
since the twenty eleven you know, World Cup final. So
(05:43):
look at his unfortunate for the All Blacks, isn't it.
They've been hard in one area, as you mentioned with
the Royguard Hotham Ratma, it is an area of strength
and depth, but they are really digging deep. For me
when I look at it from the outside. The fact
I've called an Xavier rose just to me that Cortez
won't play this week, but Razers said today they are
(06:04):
giving him every chance to prove his fitness.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Court is this week.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
What do you think they'll do in the back three?
Speaker 4 (06:13):
I think I would like to see Ammonia Lara come
into the mix. Look, there's an argument that Will Jordan's
probably the All Black's best wing, but I don't think
they'll move him from fullback, so he stays there. They
do need to support him because he was left isolated
on many occasions against the Pumas. So I think Will
Jordan's at fullback. I think maybe Ammonia Laraua comes on
(06:38):
one wing and maybe they retain Rikulwhany. But look, he
Rico really needs to improve not just as high ball
work defensively, but also chasing and contesting kicks because that's
just as much an issue for the All Blacks for
me at the moment because they're not winning back those
(06:59):
contestable kicks. So look, Razor is a very loyal selector
up into a point, but the the form of the
All Blacks wingers is massively in the spotlight, and we
know how the Springboks are going to play, we know
they're going to be targeted there. So the other element
to this pointy is Wayne Smith is in camp this
(07:19):
week and one of his strengths is counterattack, and so
can the All Black If the O Blacks can diffuse
some of those kicks from the Springboks, they could potentially
conditions dictating and use it to their advantage by sparking
some form of counterattack. And I think Wayne Smith might
have a few nuggets of gold there. We know Caleb
(07:39):
Clark's not going to be there, leicsterifying a look, who's
an outside chance. I don't see them throwing lee Roy
Carter into the mix, just a rookie on that occasion
being peppered. He's not the biggest wing going around, so
that would be high risk as well.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Any chance that mover echo You're money back into center.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
Possibly, But look, I think it would be a big
knock for Billy Proctor's confidence. I think you've got to
stick with him. You've invested in him this year. You
probably much said that Jordie and Billy is your preferred
combination in the midfield. For me, it would be a
backward step to change that up now, So I don't
(08:22):
see them making that change, But yeah, couldn't totally rule
it out.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Are they all in on two poor v at six?
Feels like they are.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
It does, but there's probably an element that Fabian Hollands
is showing signs of fatigue. A young guy thrust into
the Test arena. He was replaced in the defeat to
the Pumas in Argentina, but prior to that played four
tests pretty much eighty minute performances. I think he came
off late in quarterbar with cramp, but huge workload throughout
(08:56):
the high end of the season straight into the Test arena,
certainly showing some signs of fatigue. So I wouldn't be
adverse to Tupo going back into Locke and looking to
bring some punch off the bench there, I think you'll
see a Wallace a Tezi go Earty to seven. So
maybe Simon Parker could start at six. I certainly feel
like he's more of a six than an eight, so
(09:18):
I wouldn't rule out that possibility. But they do like
two post size at six. He offers them a strong
line out presence, and if you look at what he
did in the French series, we probably haven't seen that
form replicated against Argentina against better quality opposition than what
France brought out. But they do like that that big
(09:41):
lock size presence at six, and Simon Parker is a
similar size figure, so I think it'd be one of
those two.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Do you think they would ever entertain the possibility of
a six to two bench split? Have a half back
there and Damien McKenzie perhaps, and then they've got cover
across their starting back line to cover the back line.
Do you think they'd entertain a six to two split?
Speaker 4 (10:04):
I think if it's ever going to be on the
table for the spring box, the only danger for me,
Piney is that you're almost being sucked into how the
spring box want to play and you're almost better off
doubling down on your strengths. And it would be easy
for the All Blacks this week, with given the magnitude
of the ocasion, given the fact they're coming off a defeat,
(10:24):
to be conservative, to go into their shelves, to play
no frills, for the to try and to be sucked
into the kicking game territory kicking for points. But for me,
the All Blacks need to be brave, they need to play,
they need to back their skills, They need to stretch
the spring box and almost take a leaf out of
what the Wallabies did in South Africa because they brought
(10:46):
fatigue into the game and they broke the spring box open.
And that's for me whether the All Black strengths lies.
So yes, you could go six to two and try
and meet fire with fire because it's not as much
of a risk for the All Blacks when you look
at the versatility across that back line. You know Boden
Barrett can go back to full back, recol One if
(11:06):
he's on the wing, can go into the midfield. Jordi
Barrett can cover any number of positions. Damien McKenzie gives
you that flexibility, so you have the breadth of cover
of replacements with the backs, so it's not not as
much of a risk for the All blacks. But there
is an elements of yeah playing being sucked into what
(11:28):
the springbox want you to do, and that's a danger
for me.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Jee. It's a fascinating week ahead. I can't believe it's
only Monday. I'm not quite sure I'm having going to
get to Saturday, but this conversation has certainly helped. Liam.
Thanks for joining us tonight, mate. We'll see a bit
later in the week.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Jeers, Bunny good Man.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
That's Liam Nape, you New Zealand Herald senior rugby rider
with his thoughts.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talk
sai'd Be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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