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'I think Foster is incredibly, incredibly stubborn on this': The changes the All Blacks need in 2023
By Kim Ekin
The All Blacks will start their 2023 season riding a seven game undefeated streak after finishing last year with six wins and a draw.
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After a rocky start to 2022 the team found some rhythm after making some changes with a pair of new assistants in Jason Ryan and Joe Schmidt.
However, more changes must come according to Kiwi scribe Mark Reason who believes that the team needs to send two-time World Player of the Year Beauden Barrett to the bench to accomodate Crusaders flyer Will Jordan.
“I’d very much like to see Will Jordan come back in at fullback, I think that is an important change for them to make,” Reason said on Stuff’s The Podium podcast.
“I think the whole thing with the alpha male, Richie [Mo’unga] and Beauden [Barrett] shadowing each other a bit, is not helpful.
“I’d much rather see Beauden become the impact player off the bench which he is so brilliant at. I think that would free up Richie a bit.”
Richie Mo’unga became the All Blacks first choice option at No 10 down the stretch after the win over the Springboks in the second Test at Ellis Park.
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The Crusaders pivot looked to have lost the role in 2021 after staying back in New Zealand for family reasons, allowing Beauden Barrett to play a string of games at first five-eighth.
After losing at Mbombela Stadium with Barrett starting at 10, the new coaching staff initiated the change once again.
The Kiwi rugby writer called on consistency in selection, particularly in the midfield, so combinations can be settled before the World Cup.
“There’s a lot of work in forming the 10-12-13 combination. One of the big failings of Foster’s coaching career has been inconsistency in selection,” he said.
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“Mo’unga has played with I think, nine of ten different No 12s in his fairly short international career.
“Again, why did they change everything for the Scotland game? Madness, when you want to get some consistency in selection so these partnerships can form.”
The All Blacks looked to have found gold with the selection of regular fullback Jordie Barrett at second five-eighth in the final Bledisloe Test of the year.
Barrett continued at No 12 on the end of year tour against Wales, but was swapped out again for David Havili against Scotland.
“One of the reasons Carter was so good, obviously he was one of the great, great players but he played with Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith in so many Tests,” Reason said.
“They need familiarity to decide who their 10-12-13 is.
“For my money that is probably going to be Mo’unga, Jordie Barrett now, and Rieko Ioane and they need to stick with them.”
The end-of-year tour was always a chance for Blues openside Dalton Papalii to start after an injury to regular captain Sam Cane against Japan.
Reason believed it was time for Foster to start a new chapter with a new captain after the toll of injuries that Cane has had.
“The whole country knows he shouldn’t be, he’s not the magnificent player he was five years ago, and why should he be after so many hideous injuries,” Reason explained.
“He’s not that player, he gives away too many penalties, which cost the All Blacks in some of the games against Ireland.
“And I’m not even convinced by his leadership, he’s kind of neither one thing or the other as a leader. He’s not the strong man or the very, very vocal man.
“He sits in between. He’s misspoken at times after games, so I don’t think he should be [All Blacks captain].
“Will he be? I think Foster is incredibly, incredibly stubborn on this. If he holds through for the Chiefs I suspect he will be.”
The problem, as always with Reason and so many others is they completely ignore Mounga's terrible performances, and only judge by Barrett by his mistakes. No one without an eye patch is anything more than 50/50 on Barrett/Mounga. The BIG benefit Mounga had last season was being able to play with JB outside him - BB has not had the pleasure yet.
They also ignore that playing fullback at international level, especially against the best teams, is only 5% broken field running. WJ can't be selected at fullback purely on his ability to do that. BB is genuinely one of the best last man defenders in the world - makes countless try saving cover tackles and knows how to shut down an impending overlap. At this stage of his career WJ is more in the Israel Dagg mould of full back on defence where you regularly see him lose his footing or get completely turned inside out when he is the last defender. He is undoubtedly the ABs best attacking weapon, and is hands down the best winger in the country. While we have the luxury of BB he is too good to only be playing 20 - 30 mins.
WJ is already in the starting line up, so by switching him to fullback you are essentially dropping Beauden Barrett for Sevu Reece/Mark Telea/Whoever. It is not a trade anyone would make. Of the dozens of errors Foster makes every game this is not one of them.
Delusional as usual.
Didn't we lose 2 2nd fives in one test and wasn't it injuries that caused Mounga to play with multiple guys outside him.
Mark Reason has very little to no reasoning in any or in all of his articles.
Agree with Reason and I would go a step further - the way BB played at various stages, he would struggle to make the 23 if sentiment was not a selection factor.
I'll tell you who is stubborn. Mark Reason is stubborn. Reason (whose father was a noted NH poison-pen avowed hater of NZ rugby). Has a history of absurd attacks on NZ rugby. He has found some favour now as most NZ rugby followers have not enjoyed Foster's tenure as coach.
The strongest voice in NZ against the ABs during the unparalleled McCaw/Carter era was, you guessed it, Mark Reason.
Yup - we'd all like to see Jordan given a decent run at FB. But there is a decent argument for both BB and WJ to start in the back 3 as well. For better or for worse, Mounga appears to be in the box seat at 1st 5/8th for NZ. He has never reached the heights of BB in his early days, let alone, Carter (who like McCaw is utterly without peer). But he's good enough to win a RWC.
The rest of his comment are largely in step with what all rugby commentators are saying.
Well Mark Reason has a reason to jump up and down as he's a Crusader and Scott Robertson Fan through and through.
Agree with Mark, Will Jordan (as Smithy said, the best broken field runner since Christian Cullen, strong defensively and a better tactical kicker than given credit for) has to be fullback, now they've found a right wing in Mark Telea. With Jordan in place the rest of the backline picks itself, Mounga, Jordie, Reiko, Talea, Clark, with BB super sub.
Seriously !! I’ve been saying this for two years …. No consistency in selection …. How can a backline function if they never run the same backs our two games in a row!!
Sorry it would be BB, JB, RI and WJ
RM on the bench
Wingers never CC shouldn’t be there but open on those
Sam … nice guy but Dalton would be open , Captain and there for the next two world cups
Reason is so annoying. Why drop the alpha monkey B's into an article? Offence sells.
I don’t disagree Foster has been inconsistent with selections over the last season, but when will Reason give up his continual sniping at BB. It’s predictable and tiresome.