Former All Blacks call for selection changes for final test against Ireland

Two former All Blacks, and an ex-Ireland halfback, have called for selection changes as New Zealand aim to bounce back against the Irish this weekend.

The three-test series between the All Blacks and Ireland will go to a decider in Wellington on Saturday after the tourists clinched a famous first-ever win on Kiwi soil last weekend, beating the hosts 23-12 at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.

That result cancelled out the 42-19 thumping the All Blacks inflicted on Ireland at Eden Park in Auckland the week beforehand, meaning the series will go on the line at Sky Stadium in a matter of days.

Aotearoa Rugby Pod | Episode 21

Aotearoa Rugby Pod | Episode 21

The All Blacks are under immense pressure to deliver a successful result following their defeat last Saturday, a loss that leaves them in an all-time low World Rugby ranking of fourth after three losses from their last four tests.

In order to achieve that success, former All Blacks star Jeff Wilson has called for changes to be made to New Zealand’s starting lineup.

Speaking on The Breakdown, Wilson said he anticipates that Will Jordan and David Havili will both be included in this week’s starting lineup after missing out on the run-on team for the first two tests due to Covid.

Both players were excluded entirely from the first test in Auckland, and only Jordan returned via a try-scoring cameo from the bench in Dunedin.

The former 60-test outside back also believes that lock Scott Barrett will return to blindside flanker after starring there in the series-opener a fortnight ago.

That prospect should be feasible if Sam Whitelock returns from his concussion-enforced absence, as hinted at by All Blacks boss Ian Foster on Sunday.

The same could also be said if Tupou Vaa’i is available for selection after the youngster contracted Covid early last week.

“Going into this series, there would have been a team they wanted to play,” Wilson told The Breakdown.

“That was disrupted right from the very beginning through Covid, so I expect Will Jordan to get an opportunity, I expect David Havili to get an opportunity in the backline.

“I think they’re two guys that they would have had in their starting lineup, and they’ll go back and look at their original pack, the one with Scott Barrett on the blindside, that did the job well in the first game.”

Wilson added that further changes in the front row may be forced on the All Blacks as a result of Angus Ta’avo’s expected suspension after the reserve prop was sent off for an accidental head clash with Ireland centre Garry Ringrose last weekend.

Ta’avao’s replacement, according to Wilson, might be Nepo Laulala, although he suggested that may be dependant on how the 40-test tighthead prop is tracking in his recovery from a neck injury.

“Whether or not they make a change in the front row – Angus Ta’avao, I imagine he’s not going to be available for this test match, and it’s where Nepo Laulala is in regards to his recovery and his neck issue at the moment – but that would be where I think the changes will be made.”

Former All Blacks loose forward Steven Bates shared Wilson’s views, noting that the presence of Jordan and Barrett would be of particular benefit for New Zealand given the aerial threat posed by Ireland.

“I tend to agree because the game is going, and you’ve seen it, across the northern-southern hemisphere matches, the game is going really aerial,” Bates told The Breakdown.

“Be it lineout aerial, be it high kicks aerial, and that’s an area that the northern hemisphere – England, Wales and the Irish – have beaten us, so you talk about Will Jordan in that area and that’s probably where he comes in to play.

“The game is going more and more about who can win the contest in the air, and those two people – Scott Barrett, maybe at six, and Will Jordan on the wing – they are two men that don’t lose the aerial battle that often.”

Bates went on to state that the All Blacks can’t afford to start three openside flankers as their loose forward trio, like they did by fielding Dalton Papalii, captain Sam Cane and Ardie Savea in their back row in Dunedin.

The one-test international added that Savea’s early departure from the game, brought on by a mix-up of players following a flurry of red and yellow cards in the first half, hurt the All Blacks badly in their loss to Ireland.

“All three of them are wonderful players, all the three loose forwards that we bring out, and arguably could go No 7 in any team in the world, but I do agree that I’m not sure we have three No 7s out there to start a test, and that’s where we missed Ardie,” Bates said.

“We couldn’t break down the Irish defence. We couldn’t, they were too good, but Ardie, as a general rule, he finds a way to break down the defence and get us in behind [the advantage line]. We didn’t get that on the weekend.”

New Zealand-born former Ireland halfback Isaac Boss, meanwhile, questioned the form of incumbent All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith as he suggested a change there could be of use for New Zealand.

“I think the 8-9 combination is the big one here,” Boss, who played 22 tests for Ireland between 2006 and 2015, told The Breakdown.

“Ardie being off on the weekend and you’ve got [Folau] Fakatava coming off the bench; Aaron, is he playing on the top of his game at the minute?

“I think that’s a real key part in the All Blacks at the minute, and I think that’s where a big pressure point is.”

As for whether any new caps will be introduced by the All Blacks in Wellington, Wilson said he would “be surprised” if either one of Stephen Perofeta or Roger Tuivasa-Sheck would earn their first caps for New Zealand this weekend.

That sentiment was echoed by Bates, who said the All Blacks have missed out on the chance to develop those players by virtue of losing to Ireland and the series heading to a decider at Sky Stadium.

“They’re in the cauldron this weekend, the All Blacks, aren’t they?” Bates told The Breakdown.

“They really are, so that is good for their character, that is good for their building, but what they do miss out on is people like Roger, potentially, and also Stevie, they don’t get to play, so there is a bob each way.

“They’re in the cauldron, they want to be in the cauldron, but there’s a bit of development they miss out on.”