Potential All Blacks backline balance could be beastly

Potential All Blacks backline balance could be beastly

Should Rene Ranger start or come off the bench and wreck havoc? Should Ben Smith not only now be a guaranteed starter, but shift somewhere else like centre? What happens if Conrad Smith or Ma’a Nonu are out of action? When to introduce the potential of Francis Saili and Charles Piutau?

There are so many questions for the All Blacks selectors to ponder ahead of naming their next backline, but whatever the answers, the debate will be buttressed by the fact that even with absences, the pool is pretty deep for the men out wide.

The Ranger dilemma sums up the fact that the All Blacks have some riches, despite some Eden Park absentees headlined by Dan Carter and Piri Weepu, and his electric cameo off the bench will put some internal competition into the squad early.

Some will argue much of this will lean towards the belief that Israel Dagg will only rediscover his form with extended time playing in the Test arena, but the quandary over the Crusaders custodian isn’t much different to one he created a year or two ago, when an emotional Sir Graham Henry essentially (with selection) announced that Dagg had overtaken Henry’s great pupil Mils Muliaina as his number one fullback.

Such competition and the continued introduction of talent is part and parcel of the highly competitive New Zealand Rugby environment, and now Dagg, probably during his debut the most incisive attacking back in world rugby, finds himself with heat on himself, although no doubt much of that is coming from the man himself.

While the merits of shifting Ben Smith to fullback will rage to allow Ranger a starting spot, it is hard to believe that Cory Jane is missing, considering the fact that All Blacks coach Steve Hansen might decide to give Charles Piutau in the three-quarter line, a prospect that could grow if the likes of Smith continue their form which is literally sprinkled with gold dust.

The idea of giving Dagg more time will be borne by the fact that two other All Blacks backs, in Nonu and Aaron Smith, grew an extra leg in the Black jersey over the weekend, and in the latter case, he will be glad he could shine at Eden Park considering that halfback might just be the most competitive position in the country.

When Andy Ellis can’t get a Test start and the likes of Alby Mathewson heads to Perth, one gets an idea as to the bounties at nine, while the ever industrious TJ Perenara might have topped the poll as the unluckiest player not to squeak into the Test squad.

Remember Smith was the linchpin of the All Blacks hastened game last season, so if he continues to start, it will show the World Champions hand to again run other sides off the park.

Nonu and Smith in the midfield again had the assurance that comes with being the All Blacks most experienced Test combination in the centres, but soon thoughts will turn to the natural process to see who are the two understudies, a far cry from the situation where Sonny Bill was challenging and Richard Kahui was playing in the wings, such were the stocks during the run to World Championship success.

With Kahui injured and Tamati Ellison off to Japan, we may see our newest All Blacks centre inducted during the Steinlager Series.

The heated conversation will continue as to the merits of the best man to wear the number ten jersey, with Carter’s injury likely to keep him out of the second Test at this point.

Some might suggest Cruden’s kicking was below par, but he is being compared to perhaps the most educated boot the All Blacks have ever seen, while the sharp running and attack the line vision from the Chiefs navigator is in a unique class.

Whatever backline combinations pan out in the coming Tests, one thing is for certain, Hansen and co have a heady mix of piano players and piano shifters to choose from, but their goal will be to ensure the ethereal balance of the men out wide sparks in a manner that only an All Blacks attack can do.

Precision has been the catchcry since Eden Park, and all the form and experience in the world won’t dictate how crisply a backline will work together. Only an experiment or two as the year unfolds will bring that together.

After all, Hansen himself said that when things didn't click, the All Blacks looked like something of an usual or ordinary side, rather than the sparkling one the head man clearly knows they can, and with more Tests, be.

Tell you one thing ... the All Blacks are a different side without Carter. His days are numbered. Seems to be more and more on the injury list than ever before. Can't imagine an All Black side without the magical talents of Carter. and McCaw.

I guess you guys, like us, are also due to bring in new blood.  

The Wallabies are looking pretty strong, on paper that is. They're going to be a force to be reckoned with after the Lions tour.

The Bokke haven't done themselves any favousr by playing weak opposition either. 

Look very much forward to the Rugby test series this year.

for certain players, the old saying that "form is permanent and class is temporary" is one that is true, its why i didnt have a problem with both nonu and daggs selection in the All Blacks. nonu came through in flying colours, but dagg was like all season disappointing.
IMO dagg should be dropped down to the bench for test 2 and ranger moved to the wing with ben smith to take over from fullback, but i dont see this happening.

ranger needs to start period, i would prefer to see hi starting at 13, not cos of a lack of confidence in snake, but cos ranger is just simply the best 13 by a country mile in the world, theres not a single center that comes close to him at the moment iN NZ or anywhere.
i see ranager as the RWC 13 and its time to start the transition now, hard to do though as everyone last staurday in the backline had great all round games, all except dagg.

piutau is also another player we could call up, but the truth is theres simply no room for him at the moment. if say dagg was to be dropped from the starting 15 and a toss up between piutau and dagg were the options for the bench spot, i would go with dagg everyday of the week and twice on sunday, cos if the french front up and the All blacks find themselves with their back to the walls, ur going to want someone who has been their and done that to come of the bench and not a green rookie.

my All Black backline for test 2 would be,,,
9 a smith, 10 a cruden, 11 j savea, 12 m nonu, 13 c smith, 14 r ranger, 15 b smith
21 t kerr barlow, 22 b barret, 23 i dagg
im very comfortable with our depth in the backs, IMO its the best in the world bar none. one possible backline i can see for the 2015 RWC is,,,
9 a smith, 10 d carter/acruden, 11 j savea, 12 SBW, 13 r ranger, 14 f halai, 15 i dagg/b smith
21 t kerr barlow, 22 a cruden/b barret, 23 b smith/i dagg
now that would be one of the deadliest backlines ever.

@clean cut,

carters days are on the horizon for sure, but theres still room for carter who IMO is the greatest 10 ever. hansen needs to be smart about the way he uses him is all, start him for test matches against the wallabies, england and the Boks only in SA, but everywhere else, cruden and barret are more then enough for any challenges.
i think carter has hius eyes set on 100 test caps and hansen can both accomodate that and keep his body fresh by playing him of the bench.
while he does have more injuries then is the norm for him, u have to remember that goosen has missed more rugby in the last two years then carter has his whole career (rough guesstimation), but u wouldnt sya his humber is up, true he has youth on his side, but i really question wether his body can handle the top level, cos the answer so far is a resounding no.

IMO All Blacks have done a far better job fo bleeding new talent then SA, we roughly had the same numbers last year, but i found some of the Boks selctions to be forced cos of injury, while the ABs had the future in mind with their selections.
there were of course the usual exodous of players which every nation deals with, but when u look at the 2012 EOYT, All Blacks managed to give their entire squad which included the debut of three new players a run, while the Boks after a disappointing 4nats which saw them finish 3rd were desperate and not only fielded who they thought were their strongest teams in all three tests, but they also called in reinforcements from UK based palyers like gunthro steenkamp, what a waste of a test selection that was.

to be fair, its hard to fault what meyer has done so far in 2013, but i do wonder what kinf od a team =he would have selected had he been up against much stronger teams, something teels me that willie would not have been there.

@mikey,
i wouldnt mind piutau, but while i agree dropping dagg to the bench would be good, dropping him from the 22 altogether would not be, it dosent take long for form to come right and thats something i think dagg is going through at the moment.
i can understand ur reluctance to give him that go though, cos a dagg and ben smith outside back combo that fires would be bad news dor everyone, especially the Boks who to date still have no idea how to stop dagg, :oP

u should watch the test match again bro, cos nonu didnt stop his crashballing, he still had plenty of those moment.
his crashballs were very effective though always going thpugh the advantage line and drawing in multiple defenders, btu that was largely due to the weak french side, something that wont be the case this weekend.
nonus game was great on saturday though cos he also uses his other trademark skills to full effect, that long passing game of his and remebering that he does have a fend and a step, it made him a much better plater.

i read a comment from another kiwi where he thought that nonu needs a bigger fish around him to get the best from him, someone who can regin in his playing ability from becoming too reckless, someone like cater or snake. this also adds to my theory that once he dons the black armour he always delivers.
i always liked saili, especially his form in the early raounds of this year, but after the stormers blues games and the lessons JDV gave saili, i completely lost faith in him. his attack is solid, his defence is not All Black level.
bundee aki is a great prospect, but hes still a whole spXV season away from trully shining, lets just see if his form continues next year like it has this year, or if hes just another andre taylor aka one season wonder/

ive got no problems with carters form, only carters body. o would really like him to do the same as conrad and miss out on the EOYT. IMO hes targeting his 100 tests and RWC though, cos hes never had major role in RWC always falling to injury.
dont understand the comments about cruden, IMO he was solid while not amazing and im comfortable with him at the moment, but i would like him to do more, cos i know he can do better.
i was really stoked with barret coming of the bench, first time ive been stoked with barret all season. the way barret came on and then just planted pin point accurate kicks to turn the french around was the icing on the cake. french alread had trouble getting thourhg the line, but barrets tactical sub completely roadblocked the french cos if his contrasting style in dictating the game.

meke stuff and im very happy at the moment, but still a little anxious with the 2nd test, :o/