Steve Hansen has thrown out a World Cup lifeline to the swag of young players making their moves in Super Rugby – and challenged them to deliver at the pointy end of the season.
The All Blacks coach has declared he will find room for some "unproven" players in what will be an extended national squad to open the international season. He says it's all part of a no-stone-unturned approach heading into the World Cup.
Facing a logjam of commitments in early July, Hansen has asked and his bosses at New Zealand Rugby have obliged. He has confirmed he will name 41 players in his initial All Blacks squad, taking into account that no-one involved in the Super Rugby final will be considered for the historic test against Samoa in Apia on July 8.
And that number could even grow, with extra replacements a possibility should two Kiwi teams make it through to the Super Rugby season's showpiece game.
"There are definitely going to be opportunities for some unproven players in test matches which is great," Hansen said recently. "That gives us the opportunity to make sure when we select the side to go to the World Cup on August 30 we've got the right people on the plane."
If there is to be a bolter or two given a chance among the raft of established players Hansen will lean on for his tilt at World Cup history, it's likely they'll need to prove themselves first at the business end of Super Rugby when the national selectors really start paying attention.
Hansen admitted speedy Chiefs halfback Brad Weber had taken his eye already, but added: "We're looking forward to watching him and others when the pressure is really on in big matches and see if they can cope with that.
"It's a different environment when that real pressure is on. Semifinals and finals [of Super Rugby] are when you need to be tough mentally, and that's when you see the good guys stand up."
With that in mind, here are five young players on the rise who might be going under the Hansen microscope as the season gets serious:
BRAD WEBER (Chiefs)
Mini Nugget. Aaron Smith lite. Call him what you will, the impressive 24-year-old halfback with the silky delivery has put together a breakout season by showcasing many of the attributes that make Smith such a key All Black starter. It has not escaped Hansen's notice.
"He's playing really well and keeping a player out who was an All Black on last year's tour. He plays with a lot of smarts, he's a good decision-maker and he's in a position where we didn't have a lot of depth. I think one and two is pretty clear-cut and both are playing very well but that third position is open to discussion."
NEHE MILNER-SKUDDER (Hurricanes)
The pocket-rocket fullback has lived up to his billing in his rookie season and looks an All Black very much in the making. Clearly his best chances will come over the next cycle but Hansen might be tempted to take a sneak preview should injuries or Super Rugby commitments create an opportunity.
There are shades of Christian Cullen about this guy's dazzling feet, innate speed and ability to find holes in defensive lines. A finals run with the Canes should tell us a bit more about poise and decision-making, but all indications are he's an unpolished gem.
WAISAKE NAHOLO (Highlanders)
There's a reason New Zealand Rugby has moved to get this guy out of his contract with Clermont. The flying winger has had a brilliant season with the Highlanders and must now be at least a contender in a right wing position not exactly awash with in-form candidates. World-class speed and superb finishing put the Fijian-born flyer very much on the radar. And at 24 time is still on his side.
LIMA SOPOAGA (Highlanders)
In a position loaded with quality, the fast-rising No 10 might be Hansen's insurance policy. Sure, he's got Dan Carter, Beauden Barrett and Colin Slade ahead of him on the pecking order but, as we know, injuries happen and fringe players can be thrust into defining situations. Hansen wasn't a big fan at season's start but he might be now. "He has been improving and he's putting pressure on us with his performances," the coach admitted.
ARDIE SAVEA (Hurricanes)
Another more likely to take the step up over the next cycle but will get the chance to showcase his mercurial talents in one or two of those high-pressure finals games that Hansen likes. Might need an injury or two to make the move this early, but brings speed, X-factor and ball-carrying ability that contrast nicely with the more intrinsic qualities of McCaw heir apparent Sam Cane. Fellow Canes forwards Brad Shields and James Broadhurst have also made big moves as they deliver on promise that's been there for a while.
- Stuff
