Gregor Paul: Three tough decisions for ABs

Ma'a Nonu looks on with team mate Charlie Faumuina. Photo / Getty Images.

In picking their team to play France, the All Black selectors would have faced three genuinely tough decisions.

The first would have been at tight-head prop. At the start of the season it was simple - Owen Franks was maybe a length in front of Charlie Faumuina. And another length ahead again of his brother Ben and Ben Afeaki.

But in the last six weeks Faumuina has moved up on the rails. At 130kg, he's the bigger man. He's also the more natural athlete and ball player - as was evidenced in his contribution against Australia in Dunedin.

Faumuina can pass and catch, he can run and against Australia he pulled off turnovers that a test openside would have been proud of.

Franks is still likely to start against France, but more on the basis that he needs a run after a long injury lay off and because his experience is considerably greater. Against England, though, it may be a different story. That may boil down to a straight form choice and Faumuina's mobility and ability is beginning to make it feel that he may be the better option. Certainlty longer term, he may overtake Frabks next year in a permanent basis.

The second tough call would have been at No 10.

And for much the same reason that Franks probably starts, so too does Daniel Carter. He hasn't played enough football to be judged fairly this year.

The third puzzler will have been at wing. Charlie Piutau has played superbly in his last two outings: done everything and more that has been asked of him. But Jane, who has only managed one and half games of ITM all season really needs to get on the track if he's to be of any use on this trip. Julian Savea has been impressive all season and as well as Piutau has played, he's trying to force his way past two world class exponents of wing craft. He may yet win the nod as Savea trooped back to his bed after breakfast today and is still feeling the effects of a heavy cold.

The rest of the side would have been easy enough to pick with established pecking orders that are fairly obvious. The challenge for the wider squad is to put more pressure on the selectors: for there to be tough calls to be made in more than just three positions.

 

 

Tough decisions I think not. It's going to be an easy rout as the French never pitch up on EOYT against New Zealand. They play a rugged and predictable style that only serves them when they have something to play for, such as the World Cup final. New Zealand to win by 30+ points. Wait for a real test then we can have the same discussion.

charlie faumuina/owen franks
i dont buy that for one second, IMO gregor paul in the words of saffex is an idiot, lolz.

charlie faumuina is good, but theres daylight in the gap between owen and everyone else in NZ when it comes to the tighthead.
owens scrummaging prowess is second to none in the world, and hes still got the All Blacks get around the park game to go with it.

faumuina is mobile, but not mobile enough IMO, the next best tighthead in NZ after owen franks is ben afeaki, his exclusion form the All Blacks is the worst call hansens made as AB coach, he gets aroudn the feild better then any other prop, but still has size to back his play.

daniel carter
carter has played bugger all games and is prob at 35% of what he was when at his peak.
and even though hes prob at 35% of what he was, hes still miles better then anybody else out there in the world.

stick to the mantra which we have seen in most big tests, play the best team against the tiop teams, so carter if fit to start against the french and english with second best flyhalf in the world cruden to come of the bench.

julian savea
with savea under the illness cloud, i dont know why we just dont rest him and save him for the english when he will be 100% no questions asked.
hes our No11 incumbent easy, but we have plenty of talented players out there ready to step in.
11 c piutau, 14 c jane, 15 i dagg, 23 b barret/f halai