Fraser McReight’s assessment of All Blacks’ backrow before Wallabies Test

That Tasman winger looks as slick as Kolbe though!

With all due respect to the lot of middling centres at the time, NZ has 5 SR sides and all have International level quality players after all, it was two young sensations at the conclusive year, in Charlie Ngatai and Anton Lienert-Brown, along with the dawn Dmac squishing the other versatile players into midfield, that got sustainable contract preference after SBW came back to claim Bundee's starting spot in the Chiefs side for WC year that told on his decision to leave. Nothing as lofty as All Black considerations.

So that is no slight on how good a player he already was, I just don't think he had much of a choice with the lack of funds spent on retaining players around then (to have 4 12's, two starters in him and SBW) rather than having those test standard 12's on the books. So of course as things panned out, we know he would have been there and there abouts, having plenty of chances with all the injuries to SBW, Crotty, ALB, Ngatai, and Laumape etc. I think a very high chance he nails it and is the Nonu of the 2017 BIL tour. Certainly if he was on the cusp at that point (the player that Chiefs would have liked most to keep etc), that next WC cycle of 2016>20' had much better retention rates, maybe by 20% on the previous cycles 100+ player exodus, and you'd have to believe he'd been able to get a full squad contract in those circumstances. There are so many close calls, possibly even the wrong perception on certain player types looking at thumpers like him, Ethan Roots, Cunningham-South, Taniela Tupou, that it just doesn't warrant trying to class him as someone who would never have been an international otherwise.

Yes and no, they main concern I had from the situation is Razor didn't really explain why they had developed differing opinions, had he? I've seen too many things happen in life to jump the gun. Fall all we know it was a locked in choice before they found the difference last year and played out this year to see if they were recoverable. I can certainly see where it would be a valid criticism to suggest he spent too much time reviewing his players tripping overseas and not enough work with his team at that time. But things like Tony Brown not even being contacted in the lead up to the naming of the squad are endemic in the union, and for much just as much blame should be laid on someone like Wayne Smith. Some like Mitch would have been aval at the same time too I'd think.

Ultimately I see MacDs time at the Blues much as I saw Ian Fosters time at the Chiefs. Heavily overshadowed by their successors but you could find something good in there if you wanted. Same here. This will play out.

Can is 103, Savea 99, and Sititi 113, hardly a hulking backrow, but yes, they are full of dynamism.

The thing which I think is interesting is that the Wallabies actually are trying to play a slower more conservative approach.

I don't speed for speed's sake will help them at the weekend, they actually want to slow the game down, otherwise the score will get ugly.

That's been the trap in recent years, they want to play "free-flowing" rugby but they can't sustain their own game models whilst doing that.

Keeping it tight, slow and controlled is the key.

As you note, the All Blacks are more dynamic, Sititi and Savea are great examples.

As for Tuipulotu vs Salakaia-Loto, Tuipulotu has been more consistent and has done his basics better, but they are both experienced operators.

This is also some of the best general attack, phase upon phase of attacks, that I have seen the ABs produce in years. I give ALL the credit in setting that temp to Dmac. Just last week alone he made a couple of outrageous plays to put his backline away, to put that final piece in the puzzle that had been missing for years. Not that I didn't think Richie wasn't a great strike weapon, he plays like a match winning league five eight and still did enough to win that WC for NZ.

They need the sort of loss that ends a few careers. Big time.

Australia say they need something like a win again the ABs to get things back on track but my neutral thought was you can't have both teams putting things back on track! But maybe Razor really does need a loss of this magnitude before he completely goes with his instincts.

It was so close to proving the case (of giving up on injured players) with Sam Cane, you can't continue to select a guy who can't consistently play. Cane was captain, so understandable he kept coming back, but I think it's still a valid motive that lack of consistency of 7 (and therefor 6, and the whole loose forward balance along with 8) heavily hindered NZ form through 2017>2022 (of which Cane only played half the available games).

I don't think Blackadder has the same upside as the one true defensive lynchpin in NZ's game, along with leader, Cane had, so I don't want to see a 50/50 available player being considered a starter again.

Sure, they might be right and his game isn't suitable to test, but you will never know until you try him there!! Messing him around like this is just destroying any chance that he is succesful there.