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‘Current form doesn’t matter’: Commentator on potential All Blacks midfield
By Henry Lee
All Blacks selections always bring contention to the table, none more so than in the midfield, where there is an abundance of talent for head coach Scott Robertson to pick from.
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The emergence of Timoci Tavatavanawai as an option in the All Blacks midfield will be an ongoing talking point, while Quinn Tupaea has also impressed this season, putting his hand up for reselection after first making his All Blacks debut against Tonga in 2021.
Jordie Barrett and Rieko Ioane have long been the combination of choice for All Blacks coaches, but with Barrett overseas and Ioane struggling to find some form, the conversation is being had.
Sky Sports commentator Tony Johnson believes that if you were picking the All Blacks midfield today, the Chiefs combination of Quinn Tupaea and Anton Lienert-Brown would be his pick.
“Well, the best midfield combination in New Zealand at the moment, in my mind, is at the Chiefs: Quinn Tupaea and Anton Lienert-Brown. I’d be comfortable with them in the black jersey,” Johnson told Martin Devlin on the DSPN Podcast.
“But as we know, current form doesn’t matter, whether it’s Graham Henry, Steve Hansen or Ian Foster, and I’m sure it’s the same with Scott Robertson; current form is only part of it. It can only be part of it.”
Johnson defended Blues centre Rieko Ioane, explaining that not many No. 13s are breaking the game wide open like fans want.
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“There’s a lot of comments about Rieko Ioane. He seems to be one of those guys who attracts the attention, and people say, ‘Why isn’t he ripping defences to shreds?’
“Well, you name me one centre that does that. It’s such a hard position now to attack; you’ve got your guy at No.12 who’s charged with taking the ball up hard and strong and occasionally making a bust. But the way defences are, it’s hard for a centre to rip teams apart.
Johnson talks about how former Blues hooker, now Sky Sport rugby analyst, James Parsons has defended Ioane in the past, saying that the 81-Test All Black is attracting defenders and making effective defensive reads.
“James Parsons always talks about the impacts that we don’t see but his teammates do; the way he attracts defenders because they are aware of the danger, but also the number of times he gets across in cover defence and makes a try-saving tackle in the corner.
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“I’m not mounting the defence for him here, I’m just saying that this is a guy whose opinions carry a lot of weight, certainly with me and a lot of other people.
“Ioane is a guy that does attract a lot of a lot of criticism, people get frustrated because they see his potential.”
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Can’t pass can’t read the game Can't be center .Hopefully there's a clean out this year should have happened last year, and Barrett needs to start at 10 .
We can’t be starting Barrett at 10.
It’s not just ‘current’ form that doesn’t seem to matter; it’s ‘any form ever’ when it comes to the senior All Blacks. It seems if you were a really good player years ago, that it’s banked for life and AB squad selection is guaranteed until you head overseas.
I’d be shocked if any player with more than 50 caps doesn’t make the AB squad, simply because they’re apparently undroppable. I doubt any of them even need to play Super Rugby to be selected.
Agree - there is a crop that just needs to go. Would include Beauden Barrett in that group. He can’t go to Japan fast enough.
I don’t really share Johnson’s opinion. Nothing better than Tupaea and Lienert-Brown in NZ? It’s a good duo, and he wouldn’t look out of place, but I think we can do better. Tavatavanawai seems superior to Tupaea at 12. He’s a brute force, who makes few mistakes (which can still be criticized in Tupaea), formidable both with and without the ball in close contact. I can see him playing with Proctor. On paper, this combination would be very, very interesting, in the same philosophy as the iconic Nonu/C Smith duo.
Anyway, I remain convinced that in Razor’s mind, Jordie Barrett is indispensable at center, and he could quickly team up with Leicester Fainga’anuku. I’m betting on that in the near future.
However, a Tavatanawai/Proctor duo would be very interesting. Ennor also seems to be a good option instead of Proctor, who still hasn’t played this season. But Ennor has only played one match... he needs to be seen again and get some game time. There is a lot of talent in New Zealand in these two positions. The hardest part will be cutting players who could make a difference for many teams. The choices are going to be tough. If I had to make a bold bet, and unlike Johnson, I don’t see Tupaea being selected, and I imagine ALB could be in a tight spot against Proctor and Ennor if they are fit.
I imagine Jordie, Havili, Rieko, and Fainga'anuku with Tavatavanawai. Ennor or Proctor if Fainga'anuku is not selected in July. And ALB if Jordie is rested
Well you're wrong then if you think Quinn and alb have people better than them because they both on the top of the stats sheets Quinn is definitely not lesser than tt for a start Quinn is faster than tt has a better kick than tt has a better passing game than tt better defence than tt all these stats show there's a reason the chiefs are on top and the highlanders are not even in the top 6
Absolutely agree. We have so many good options but revert to the tried and proven to be ok but nothing more options. Jordie Barrett could be good paired with Fainga’anuku. That seems a more complementary pairing than Rieko. Tavatavanawai should 100% be there, even if off the bench. He is a far better bench option than ALB as he can genuinely cover wing. We have lacked a genuine power option for too long.
Agree on Tupaea, he is a lesser version of Tavatanawai. Less pace, less power, lesser boot, not as good at turnovers defensively… how does anyone think he is better. Baffling.
Ennor is too injury prone and has never taken opportunities. AJ Lam has a lot of promise, surely he should be getting taken over ALB as a 12/13 with upside option. And he can cover wing really well too.
Havili should be nowhere near it either. We have seen enough of the guy. His ceiling at test level is ok. Why keep picking that option when you have so many more with potential to be better than ok.
The attacking role for midfield backs is to create space for the wingers/full back to score and to provide support for them. It also helps if the halves move the ball with speed and accuracy at the outset to start the process off. On defence just don’t miss tackles. In recent seasons defence has usually been sound but attacking plays not so much. There are a number of combinations that could be effective but is of course the selectors/ coaches who decide that. Not easy.
The extent to which rugby pundits in NZ rely on their rose tinted spectacles really baffles me. Anton Lienert-Brown has been a good but nothing more player for a few seasons now. For an experienced player he gives a maddening amount of penalties and yellow cards too so I don’t give him any credit for all that experience.
If you had a clean slate and knew nothing about history, the guy wouldn’t be anywhere near people’s choice for 13 (or 12) if you only watch super rugby the last couple of seasons. Bailyn Sullivan / Billy Proctor / AJ Lam / Tavatavanawai to just just a few have all looked miles better than ALB.
How on earth does that end up with people saying he should be in the squad let alone starting. We have to move on from these type of players - he was never a great player and we have so many alternate options.
There is a group of mediocre players that we need to clear out, or at least try other options. We know how limited that group are, now is the time to see if some other talent can step up (the time was last year, but anyway…).
Jacobson, ALB, Papali’i, Christie, Lord, Havili, Reece. Just move on from them all and try for some upside. Thank god Cane/Perenara have finally moved on because they were in this camp too.
Dont know what drugs you're taking or what but there isn't a combo better than tupea and alb the stats literally prove that statement to be true
Agreed. Way too much of the ‘They haven’t done anything wrong’ mentality with coaches and nz media regards a lot of way past their prime players in the All Blacks. Yet every year they get selected, return a 70% win ratio, and those same coaches and media scratch their heads and wonder why. Same players = same results.
As for ALB. I doubt even hardcore fans can piece together any outstanding games in black, and for someone who’s been there almost a decade now, his only standout moments seem to be getting sin-binned for the umpteenth time. They may as well put his initials on the naughty chair at this point.
Reiko does attract attention because he is not viewed by many as a 13. I am one of those. Two others that could be mentioned. One is David Havili . He was been in great form as a 12 for the Crusaders . Captaincy has brought the best out of him. But at centre , one is his Crusaders team mate Braydon Ennor. Unfortunately he is injured at the moment , but in in his one appearance against the Western Force he was brilliant . He has speed that others have not got. David Havili like him missed the Moana Pasifika game. Havili was missed.
Havili has had enough chances at test level. He is ok but will never be more than just ok. Not good enough for AB level. Same with Ennor. Has had enough chances.
I just cant get how many folks ..like Parsons and Johnson fail to understand what a 13s principal role is. Ive always understood it was making space for those either side and esp the outsides..straightening attacks for the strike force. Ioane in pretending to be a centre behaves like the wing he is and is always looking for the glory finish…but often dies with the ball instead of instinctively looking for the support. Its nice he can tackle but if hes not performing the key centres role we are screwed. Ennor, Lienert Brown, Proctor all get this.