With the hosts’ Rugby World Cup squad released, all eyes now turn to the team that New Zealand will send to defend their trophy… And with such depth, the task of selecting that team is no mean feat with Steve Hansen and co having a deeper pool than most to choose from.
One key feature of the players that Steve Hansen has to select from is that the majority of those in contention have seen a lot of international rugby. Fringe players like Joe Moody, Liam Messam, Charles Piutau, Ryan Crotty and Colin Slade have seen ample time in the black jersey over the past 18 months to two years. This means that essentially whoever Hansen picks in his squad is going to be a tried and tested international player. But, some players will make it, and some players won’t.
So before New Zealand Rugby names its All Black team on Sunday evening (NZT), the Rugby Drum names its New Zealand 31-man Rugby World Cup squad.
Props
Wyatt Crockett
Owen Franks
Ben Franks
Nepo Laulala
Charlie Faumuina
Tony Woodcock
This has been pretty much set in stone for quite some time now as they’ve all put their hands up and demanded selection. The scrum hasn’t been entirely consistent throughout 2015 especially considering their feeble performance against the Wallabies in Sydney. But the players mentioned have showed that they have the talent among them to dominate any other team in the world. Tony Woodcock still remains one of the world’s best scrummagers and for an old boy, he’s pretty handy around the ruck and in general play. Kane Hames and Joe Moody can count themselves unlucky however they didn’t really show enough form during the Super Rugby season to force their way into the team. Ben Tameifuna can also be placed in that category – pressing, but not good enough to force his way into the squad.
Hookers
Dane Coles
Keven Mealamu
Codie Taylor
Hika Elliot will be really unlucky in this instance after drifting in and out of the squad before 2015 finally looking like his year. Coles and Mealamu have been locked in since the beginning of time (not really) and there was no way that they weren’t going to this year’s Rugby World Cup, not only are they incumbents but their form is shockingly good, especially in Coles’ case. Codie Taylor offers something different and, while he is young and was at fault defensively by letting in Australia’s final try in Bledisloe game one, he’s showed enough to deserve his chance on the game’s biggest stage.
Locks
Brodie Retallick
Sam Whitelock
Luke Romano
The topic that’s been debated back and fourth throughout the week – three or four locks? The Rugby Drum has gone for three locks as Victor Vito supplements the locking department in the back row. Few can deny that Retallick and Whitelock deserve their places in the team as they are currently the best locks in the world who form the world’s best locking combination. Their work-rate around the park as well as their physicality is currently unequalled in world rugby. The third lock was a little more difficult as New Zealand are very strong in the locking department but Luke Romano showed that he is the best selection behind Retallick and Whitelock. The unlucky pair are Jeremy Thrush and James Broadhurst who, despite showing their stuff in the past couldn’t produce their best in black as well as the former still coming back from injury.
Back row
Richie McCaw
Jerome Kaino
Victor Vito
Sam Cane
Kieran Read
Very few surprises in this selection with four of the five already set in stone. The one selection issue was Victor Vito over Liam Messam. Vito looked to be out of sight and out of mind of All Blacks selectors before being selected to start in Bledisloe game 2 where he was immense – in defence and on attack. That match appeared to be the coming of age for Vito and, offering an jumper option at lineout, he will get a chance to prove himself at the big show. Messam can count himself incredibly unlucky after coming up short once again after he just missed out on selection before the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Scrum Half
Aaron Smith
TJ Perenara
Aaron Smith is the best scrum half in the world by quite some distance so that was a dead no-brainer. As for TJ Perenara, the impact he brings off the bench and the fact he’s grown into the no.2 role so well means it’s bad news for Andy Ellis, Augustine Pulu and Tawera Kerr-Barlow who looked to be on the cusp of becoming a more permanent All Black before suffering a horrific injury in last year’s End of Season internationals.
Fly-half
Dan Carter
Beauden Barrett
Colin Slade
After a slow season, Dan Carter lit the fire in the All Blacks’ final game against the Wallabies and he asserted himself as the best no.10 in New Zealand. Much of the debate centres around the pecking order as well as the place of fringe players Colin Slade and Highlander Lima Sopoaga. Sopoaga enjoyed a great starting debut against the Springboks during the Rugby Championship and has not featured in the team since. Whether or not that mean’s Hansen and co had already made their mind up on Sopoaga remains to be seen but it is a hotly contested third fly-half spot. The Rugby Drum has gone with experience in selecting Slade however, that is a very 50/50 choice so don’t be surprised if we see Sopoaga thrown into the squad.
Centres
Ma’a Nonu
Malakai Fekitoa
Conrad Smith
Sonny Bill Williams
Another interesting selection dilemma was Sonny Bill Williams’ inclusion over the ever-reliable Ryan Crotty but that, once again, is a very 50/50 call. Williams has yet to show his wares in any form of rugby this year so he’ll have a lot of eyes on him in England. He was nothing short of dreadful in Bledisloe game 1 and is lucky to get a place in this squad. However he has received more time than Crotty and has more of an impact coming off the bench.
Back three
Julian Savea
Ben Smith
Nehe Milner-Scudder
Israel Dagg
Charles Piutau
One of the most contentious positions in the team with a very long list of players vying for just five spots. Julian Savea and Ben Smith are no brainers despite the former looking out of touch in the most recent Rugby Championship. Nehe Milner-Scudder will make the squad and we tip him to be one of the standouts at this year’s Rugby World Cup – something tells us that while his game style is one that can be worked out as well as possessing a questionable ability under the high ball, we’re not yet sure if any team has the artillery to work it out or to at least affect a game plan that either takes Milner-Scudder out of the game or blunts him. It’s Israel Dagg and Charles Piutau’s spots that are the most hotly contested with the likes of Cory Jane and the miraculously healed Waisake Naholo contesting for them.
It’s far too much of a risk to take Naholo, especially since he isn’t yet fit. This is a shame because he really looked like he would deliver the goods in 2015 before breaking his leg in his first test. Cory Jane is also too much of a risk to take considering the list of injuries he has suffered and his lack of game time. He has delivered in the past but teams win World Cups with the best players, not with the players who used to be the best.
So all we have to do now is wait and see what comes to fruition on Sunday. Like England’s squad announcement yesterday, so many names, too fewer places.