Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Replacing Aaron Smith with TJ Perenara put the All Blacks' backline at a massive disadvantage

(Photo by Marty MELVILLE / AFP) (Photo by MARTY MELVILLE/AFP via Getty Images)

There is an argument to be made that Aaron Smith is the best All Black of his time.

Just as there’s a similar argument to be made that he is the best All Blacks’ halfback of all-time.

Speed is the great strength of Smith’s game. Speed of thought, speed of movement and speed of pass. In an era where teams yearn to play at pace and catch defensive lines in disarray, Smith’s skills are a huge advantage to every team he plays in.

Why, then, would you ever replace that guy with TJ Perenara?

I greatly admire Perenara. I haven’t always, but you can’t deny the man’s work-ethic and combativeness. He might not be the most talented player in the world, but few try harder.

Really and truly, though, you are putting the All Blacks’ backs at a massive disadvantage every time Perenara takes the field. His strengths don’t appear to align with the team’s preferred method of play and – at the risk of sounding a halfwit here – surely it makes more sense to have a more Smith-like halfback on the park?

I get this whole idea of teams having finishers or closers and I won’t pretend Perenara hasn’t performed well in that role over the years. Equally, I’d contend Beauden Barrett might have had a better time of it had Brad Weber worn No.9 when the All Blacks met the Wallabies in Brisbane the other night.

Test match rugby is a good product when you’ve got a contest. And again – at the risk of sounding a halfwit – the previous week’s 43-5 victory in Sydney felt a hollow one. Australia were awful that night and beating them didn’t feel like a huge achievement.

The Wallabies’ 24-22 win at Suncorp Stadium exposed a few things about the All Blacks and, in the grand scheme of things, that’s beneficial.

Walkovers won’t win New Zealand the next Rugby World Cup. The players need to face challenges and failures if they’re to improve and the coaches are to sort the wheat from the chaff.

Ian Foster didn’t roll a great starting XV onto Suncorp Stadium and then didn’t appear to have great faith in those on the bench. Despite sapping humidity and a slightly superior foe, Foster persevered with players such as Perenara and people are entitled to be critical of that.

Let’s run through the team that took the park the other night. In the backs, Anton Lienert-Brown, Beauden Barrett and Perenara are proven test performers.

Ardie Savea, Sam Cane, Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett and Codie Taylor are all test-match quality forwards. That’s eight out of 15, with Damian McKenzie the only bench player you’d mention in the same breath.

Are we actually as good as we like to think we are? Or was this just a poor test 23?

We as fans, and alleged pundits, don’t help. You’d think, for instance, that Akira Ioane produced one of the all-time great 80-minute performances, judging by some of the praise he’s received.

The bar has slipped absurdly low if we’re commending cameos like that.

As good as it was to see a contest on Saturday, so it was to have some consistency. Referee Nic Berry was right to send Ofa Tuungafasi and Lachie Swinton off, just as he was to sinbin Marika Koroibete and Scott Barrett.

If that’s World Rugby’s standard and foul play or high tackles are going to be judged in that fashion, then happy days. Cue the justified howls of outrage, though, when Owen Farrell again escapes punishment for similar.

There was some absolute loads of rubbish talked about intent on Saturday night. And whether, as they love to say in rugby league, high tackles are a bloke’s “go’’ or not.

Again, if that’s World Rugby’s standard and referees are going to stick to it, then that’s a great outcome for the game. We can’t allow tacklers to attack the head of ball runners, no matter whether they intended to or not.

But, hey, how good is a loss? How much are you looking forward to New Zealand against Australia being a rivalry again? How keen are you to see tests against South Africa and England and France on the schedule again?

Sport is better for uncertainty and intrigue and talking points and Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium provided us with plenty. Long may that continue.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Kubota Spears vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Quarter Final Replay

Australia vs USA | Pacific Four Series 2025 | Full Match Replay

New Zealand vs Canada | Pacific Four Series 2025 | Full Match Replay

South Africa vs New Zealand | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

Argentina vs Australia | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

The Game that Made Jonah Lomu

The gruelling reality behind one of the fastest sports in the world | The Report

Boks Office | Episode 40 | The Steven Kitshoff Special

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

S
Solenn Bonnet 8 days ago
Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

WhatsApp.. +15617263697

website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

Telegram.. +15617263697

0 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING 'Sickened': Jamison Gibson-Park's admission over Lions call-up Jamison Gibson-Park admission over Lions call-up
Search