July 27, 2024 • 11 mins
The All Blacks are bracing themselves as coach Scott Robertson prepares to name his squad for the upcoming Rugby Championship.
There's plenty of speculation surrounding some key positions - especially following captain Scott Barrett's recent injury in San Diego.
NZ Herald sports reporter Gregor Paul joined Piney to share his predictions.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The All Black squad for the Rugby Championship is named
at three o'clock this afternoon. New Zealand Herald rugby writer
Gregor Paul is with us to discuss. Gregor, it's a
squad of thirty six. It was thirty two for the
tests against England and Fiji. Is it fair to say
that the original thirty two who were named will be
(00:32):
retained if they're fit? I mean, nobody has played their
way out of this team, have they.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Think anyone would necessarily have played their way out. However,
that doesn't necessarily mean that all thirty two of them
will be reclaimed because there are certain individuals who would
have thought are going to come back. For example, Simon,
he was originally going to be in the squad that
(00:59):
was injured, so he came out. They brought in Bell
was a replacements, so that might be one of the
thirty two who will Jordan is back fit, and you
know again he would have been in an original selection
if he'd been fit. I we'll have to see whether
he comes back in at the expense of an existing player.
(01:19):
Or whether he's an additional you know, outside back going
into the mix, and it will already depend on you know,
what kind of balance the selectors are going to feel
they need positionally to understand if there's going to be
any guys coming out.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Well, just on the Will Jordan one, if they add him,
that's still only six outside bags, isn't it, Clark not
our Piafitta race to layer Ed Jordan. They can afford
another outside back if they're adding four players, can't they?
Speaker 3 (01:47):
They probably could, but they've got some you know, injury
concerns if you're going backwards and look back to Locke.
At the moment, Scott Barrett has been revealed I've had
surgery on a finger. The length of his recovery time
is unknown at the stage, or we haven't been told. Certainly,
Patrick Tupelotto, you didn't go to San Diego. They were
(02:09):
resting here after. You know, he had an incredible period
with his knee and back and forest and whatnot, so
they'll be a little bit careful about managing him. Still,
I would have thought, with what's happened with him, so
they might want to strengthen themselves around lock. They might not.
They might feel comfortable operating, you know, with the guys
(02:30):
that they've got with just three. Knowing that, I assume
Barrett will come back to full fitness reasonably quickly, so
they could probably carry three locks to argent through the
Argentina games and then get Barrett back. So it really
just does depend on where they feel they need strength
and dates across the thirty six players that they have.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
It feels like Sam Dairy might be there though he
debut didn't he against fg over in San Diego. If
they are even mildly concerned about Lock that put Sam
Dairy in there, wouldn't they.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
I think he'll certainly do the Yeah, I think that's
a given at the moment, given where they're at. They
would want injury cover for Scott Barrett certainly, and I
think they'll probably want to carry four locks in their
thirty six man squad anyway. And Sam Barry would appear
to be the fourth guy given that he was one
they called up to take the San Diego So yeah,
(03:24):
he'll definitely be there.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
I would have thought what about Sam Kaine well with it.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Yeah. Look, Sam has been training with the squad pretty
much throughout the whole of July, I bumped into him
in a cafe, told me fully fit, he's been training
for most of the time the squad had been assembled. Look,
let's be clear, he's a world class player, and he's available,
and he's available until the end of the year. And
I know that Jason Ryan, the forward's coach, is a
(03:51):
huge Sam Kaine fan because he understands the value of
a heavy tackler, which is what Sam is. A highly
experienced professional with great leadership ability, really strong over the
ball at the breakdown. He's a great carrier of the
bomb in close quarters. He's maybe not the kind of
(04:11):
traditional New Zealand seven. He gets out into the open
and we you know, we see, you know, a long
striding ball playing seven, but he's really good at just
grinding out a couple of really difficult meters against bigamn one.
Going to be back in to the squad, and I'd
imagine if they think he's got enough game time behind him,
(04:31):
I think they'll want to get him on the bench
pretty quickly for the All Blacks and then back into
the starting system ready in time to go to South Africa.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Interesting, what about David Havili? Is there room for him?
They got four pretty good midfielders at the moment.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Again, it depends on where they want to part the
new The new players they did seem pretty keen on,
you know, like Razor would know David Havili pretty well.
He's a really versatile football plays that plays in the midfield.
He's played at full back, he can play at number
ten if needs be. Whether he can play their international
(05:05):
level not quite yet. So a guy of that level
of versatility, and he's got he's got a good level
of experience as well. He's played you know, twenty plus
test matches. He've been a kind of guy that they
potentially for a rugby championship, want to carry with them.
So he's embedded with the system with the team. He's
been training with them. By the way, throughout July, there
(05:28):
was a whole sort of entourage of extras that were
continually with the team throughout July. He was one of them.
George Bauer being another, Sam King, Will Jordan, All these
guys have been with the team. So it's potential for
David to come in because inevitably planning, we know it's
going to be injured a little bit. Had a guy
training with them who they trust and is ready to
(05:48):
you know, up to speed with how they want to play,
what his role is likely to be. If he's needed.
It's good to have them there rather than calling them
in calls and having to get them up to speed quickly.
So yeah, he if the if the balance suits them,
I think he's the sort of guy that would would
cover a lot of options for them if he comes back.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
In half back. I think we can assume, can't we
that cam Royguard still isn't really I think they were
talking about the end of year term a tour rather
for cam Royguard. So let's say TJ is fit again.
What is the picking order in New Zealand half backs.
Let's leave Royguard out of it. What's the picking order
of those who are fit at the moment?
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Well, my taking order is Quarters Latima one and I
would go Noah Hawsum, t TJ. Perrinara three, Finley Christie four.
If it was up to me. Where would they be sitting?
I think they might have got enough confidence in Quarters
Ratama to start him. But whether they do start them
(06:48):
regularly I don't know, because they probably like the experience
of TJ Peer and his competitiveness, his leadership, qualities. These
are all valuable things. So I think they probably still
see TJ. Parrianara's number one because I think he started
the season is number one, and just because he's been injured,
I don't think think they would is evidence to say
(07:08):
he's no longer the number one, but clearly there's going
to be a live situation there. Rattam, there's no number two,
and Christy would be the number three, and I imagine
that Noah Hawsum drops out when TG Pernara comes back in,
when roygun arrives whenever that is probably later this year. Cheapers,
you know, you've got what five six guys who you
(07:30):
know are going to be competing for a birthday, and
I think that pecking order will remain fluid.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Do you think we'll see Bowden, Barrett's staff and the
teen jersey at all in the Rugby Championship?
Speaker 3 (07:41):
Well, potentially that's something that may happen, you know, while
they because they're going to rest and retake McKinsey at
some point. I don't think they want to do that
too much because I think you want to keep a
number young, number ten young in the sense that he's
not got a lot of experience I probably want to
keep him on the field, keep learning, keep growing, because
it's about understanding your craft. So Broder and I suspect
(08:04):
will be a guy that there. I don't think they'll
be looking to put a competitive element into that situation
at the moment. There's no real need to do that.
But if they want to give you McKinsey a week off,
then Barrett would probably be the guy that they would
start at number ten. But look, they know what they've
gotten Barrett. I don't think they need to start a
live process of putting pressure on McKinsey, you know, because
(08:24):
he's playing pretty well as it is. I don't think
he needs that right now, external pressure with the sense
they're trying to grow a veteran number ten alongside and
they're lucky because Bonds is a brilliant player. And if
they need a number ten that's capable of playing a
Test match called off the bat, he'd be the guy
that could do it for them.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
And when they come together as a thirty six with
the coaching staff etc. Get ready for the Rugby Championship,
given what they learned during the two England Test matches,
let's both feed you to one side in the England
Test matches. What do you think the main areas of
focus will be for Razer and his coaching staff as
he prepares this group for the Rugby Championship.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
I think the boards need be a bit more confrontational
and aggressive in traveling north to south, around you know,
around the middle of the field, going directly through forward packs,
playing a little bit of continuity there, whether it's you know,
using quick feet, quick passing, changing the point of the attack,
but certainly putting defenses backwards, you know, through the ball
(09:24):
carrying and ability of the All Black forward pack to
do that. We didn't really see a lot of that
against England. I think they need to be a bit
more clinical when they you know, when they create half opportunities.
There were quite a lot of points they left out
on the field. And I think the third area that
they weren't particularly good at is marrying an accurate kicking
(09:46):
game into the rest of the game plan. They seemed
to kick a little bit with you know, no real
plan around what they were trying to do. There didn't
feel like they were really spot on with what their
intentions were, what their execution was, you know, was trying
to do. And I think when you when you end
up playing teams like Argentina and South Africa in particular,
that that's a part of you get you've got to
(10:06):
get right. So these have been the three three elements
I think they'll want to get sharper.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
On always enjoy your insight, Gregor. Thanks so much for
taking the time this afternoon, my Gregor, Paul there. You
read them in the NZ Herald, insid Herald dot co
dot nz, or just buy the paper. Three o'clock this
afternoon is when that team is named squad of thirty
six for the Rugby Championship couple of tests against Argentina
both in New Zealand, tests away two in South Africa,
(10:33):
then home and away against Australia. So six Rugby Championship tests,
thirty six men in that squad. You might have caught
the news yesterday Scott Barrett needed surgery after one of
the recent test matches. I think it was the Figi Test,
so he's in doubt for at least the first Rugby
Championship Test. Other than that, I think everybody's pretty much
good to go. TJ Peinalo, we understand is going to
be all right, so I presume he'll come back in
(10:56):
thirty six names. We'll have them for you in our
news at three.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk z B weekends a midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The All Black squad for the Rugby Championship is named
at three o'clock this afternoon. New Zealand Herald rugby writer
Gregor Paul is with us to discuss. Gregor, it's a
squad of thirty six. It was thirty two for the
tests against England and Fiji. Is it fair to say
that the original thirty two who were named will be
(00:32):
retained if they're fit? I mean, nobody has played their
way out of this team, have they.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Think anyone would necessarily have played their way out. However,
that doesn't necessarily mean that all thirty two of them
will be reclaimed because there are certain individuals who would
have thought are going to come back. For example, Simon,
he was originally going to be in the squad that
(00:59):
was injured, so he came out. They brought in Bell
was a replacements, so that might be one of the
thirty two who will Jordan is back fit, and you
know again he would have been in an original selection
if he'd been fit. I we'll have to see whether
he comes back in at the expense of an existing player.
(01:19):
Or whether he's an additional you know, outside back going
into the mix, and it will already depend on you know,
what kind of balance the selectors are going to feel
they need positionally to understand if there's going to be
any guys coming out.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Well, just on the Will Jordan one, if they add him,
that's still only six outside bags, isn't it, Clark not
our Piafitta race to layer Ed Jordan. They can afford
another outside back if they're adding four players, can't they?
Speaker 3 (01:47):
They probably could, but they've got some you know, injury
concerns if you're going backwards and look back to Locke.
At the moment, Scott Barrett has been revealed I've had
surgery on a finger. The length of his recovery time
is unknown at the stage, or we haven't been told. Certainly,
Patrick Tupelotto, you didn't go to San Diego. They were
(02:09):
resting here after. You know, he had an incredible period
with his knee and back and forest and whatnot, so
they'll be a little bit careful about managing him. Still,
I would have thought, with what's happened with him, so
they might want to strengthen themselves around lock. They might not.
They might feel comfortable operating, you know, with the guys
(02:30):
that they've got with just three. Knowing that, I assume
Barrett will come back to full fitness reasonably quickly, so
they could probably carry three locks to argent through the
Argentina games and then get Barrett back. So it really
just does depend on where they feel they need strength
and dates across the thirty six players that they have.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
It feels like Sam Dairy might be there though he
debut didn't he against fg over in San Diego. If
they are even mildly concerned about Lock that put Sam
Dairy in there, wouldn't they.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
I think he'll certainly do the Yeah, I think that's
a given at the moment, given where they're at. They
would want injury cover for Scott Barrett certainly, and I
think they'll probably want to carry four locks in their
thirty six man squad anyway. And Sam Barry would appear
to be the fourth guy given that he was one
they called up to take the San Diego So yeah,
(03:24):
he'll definitely be there.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
I would have thought what about Sam Kaine well with it.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Yeah. Look, Sam has been training with the squad pretty
much throughout the whole of July, I bumped into him
in a cafe, told me fully fit, he's been training
for most of the time the squad had been assembled. Look,
let's be clear, he's a world class player, and he's available,
and he's available until the end of the year. And
I know that Jason Ryan, the forward's coach, is a
(03:51):
huge Sam Kaine fan because he understands the value of
a heavy tackler, which is what Sam is. A highly
experienced professional with great leadership ability, really strong over the
ball at the breakdown. He's a great carrier of the
bomb in close quarters. He's maybe not the kind of
(04:11):
traditional New Zealand seven. He gets out into the open
and we you know, we see, you know, a long
striding ball playing seven, but he's really good at just
grinding out a couple of really difficult meters against bigamn one.
Going to be back in to the squad, and I'd
imagine if they think he's got enough game time behind him,
(04:31):
I think they'll want to get him on the bench
pretty quickly for the All Blacks and then back into
the starting system ready in time to go to South Africa.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Interesting, what about David Havili? Is there room for him?
They got four pretty good midfielders at the moment.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Again, it depends on where they want to part the
new The new players they did seem pretty keen on,
you know, like Razor would know David Havili pretty well.
He's a really versatile football plays that plays in the midfield.
He's played at full back, he can play at number
ten if needs be. Whether he can play their international
(05:05):
level not quite yet. So a guy of that level
of versatility, and he's got he's got a good level
of experience as well. He's played you know, twenty plus
test matches. He've been a kind of guy that they
potentially for a rugby championship, want to carry with them.
So he's embedded with the system with the team. He's
been training with them. By the way, throughout July, there
(05:28):
was a whole sort of entourage of extras that were
continually with the team throughout July. He was one of them.
George Bauer being another, Sam King, Will Jordan, All these
guys have been with the team. So it's potential for
David to come in because inevitably planning, we know it's
going to be injured a little bit. Had a guy
training with them who they trust and is ready to
(05:48):
you know, up to speed with how they want to play,
what his role is likely to be. If he's needed.
It's good to have them there rather than calling them
in calls and having to get them up to speed quickly.
So yeah, he if the if the balance suits them,
I think he's the sort of guy that would would
cover a lot of options for them if he comes back.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
In half back. I think we can assume, can't we
that cam Royguard still isn't really I think they were
talking about the end of year term a tour rather
for cam Royguard. So let's say TJ is fit again.
What is the picking order in New Zealand half backs.
Let's leave Royguard out of it. What's the picking order
of those who are fit at the moment?
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Well, my taking order is Quarters Latima one and I
would go Noah Hawsum, t TJ. Perrinara three, Finley Christie four.
If it was up to me. Where would they be sitting?
I think they might have got enough confidence in Quarters
Ratama to start him. But whether they do start them
(06:48):
regularly I don't know, because they probably like the experience
of TJ Peer and his competitiveness, his leadership, qualities. These
are all valuable things. So I think they probably still
see TJ. Parrianara's number one because I think he started
the season is number one, and just because he's been injured,
I don't think think they would is evidence to say
(07:08):
he's no longer the number one, but clearly there's going
to be a live situation there. Rattam, there's no number two,
and Christy would be the number three, and I imagine
that Noah Hawsum drops out when TG Pernara comes back in,
when roygun arrives whenever that is probably later this year. Cheapers,
you know, you've got what five six guys who you
(07:30):
know are going to be competing for a birthday, and
I think that pecking order will remain fluid.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Do you think we'll see Bowden, Barrett's staff and the
teen jersey at all in the Rugby Championship?
Speaker 3 (07:41):
Well, potentially that's something that may happen, you know, while
they because they're going to rest and retake McKinsey at
some point. I don't think they want to do that
too much because I think you want to keep a
number young, number ten young in the sense that he's
not got a lot of experience I probably want to
keep him on the field, keep learning, keep growing, because
it's about understanding your craft. So Broder and I suspect
(08:04):
will be a guy that there. I don't think they'll
be looking to put a competitive element into that situation
at the moment. There's no real need to do that.
But if they want to give you McKinsey a week off,
then Barrett would probably be the guy that they would
start at number ten. But look, they know what they've
gotten Barrett. I don't think they need to start a
live process of putting pressure on McKinsey, you know, because
(08:24):
he's playing pretty well as it is. I don't think
he needs that right now, external pressure with the sense
they're trying to grow a veteran number ten alongside and
they're lucky because Bonds is a brilliant player. And if
they need a number ten that's capable of playing a
Test match called off the bat, he'd be the guy
that could do it for them.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
And when they come together as a thirty six with
the coaching staff etc. Get ready for the Rugby Championship,
given what they learned during the two England Test matches,
let's both feed you to one side in the England
Test matches. What do you think the main areas of
focus will be for Razer and his coaching staff as
he prepares this group for the Rugby Championship.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
I think the boards need be a bit more confrontational
and aggressive in traveling north to south, around you know,
around the middle of the field, going directly through forward packs,
playing a little bit of continuity there, whether it's you know,
using quick feet, quick passing, changing the point of the attack,
but certainly putting defenses backwards, you know, through the ball
(09:24):
carrying and ability of the All Black forward pack to
do that. We didn't really see a lot of that
against England. I think they need to be a bit
more clinical when they you know, when they create half opportunities.
There were quite a lot of points they left out
on the field. And I think the third area that
they weren't particularly good at is marrying an accurate kicking
(09:46):
game into the rest of the game plan. They seemed
to kick a little bit with you know, no real
plan around what they were trying to do. There didn't
feel like they were really spot on with what their
intentions were, what their execution was, you know, was trying
to do. And I think when you when you end
up playing teams like Argentina and South Africa in particular,
that that's a part of you get you've got to
(10:06):
get right. So these have been the three three elements
I think they'll want to get sharper.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
On always enjoy your insight, Gregor. Thanks so much for
taking the time this afternoon, my Gregor, Paul there. You
read them in the NZ Herald, insid Herald dot co
dot nz, or just buy the paper. Three o'clock this
afternoon is when that team is named squad of thirty
six for the Rugby Championship couple of tests against Argentina
both in New Zealand, tests away two in South Africa,
(10:33):
then home and away against Australia. So six Rugby Championship tests,
thirty six men in that squad. You might have caught
the news yesterday Scott Barrett needed surgery after one of
the recent test matches. I think it was the Figi Test,
so he's in doubt for at least the first Rugby
Championship Test. Other than that, I think everybody's pretty much
good to go. TJ Peinalo, we understand is going to
be all right, so I presume he'll come back in
(10:56):
thirty six names. We'll have them for you in our
news at three.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk z B weekends a midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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