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Scott Robertson addresses Finau and Barrett injuries after France loss
By Ned Lester
The All Blacks will be down yet another flanker when they face Italy in Turin to finish Scott Robertson’s first year as head coach, with Samipeni Finau ineligible for selection after suffering a concussion in the team’s loss to France over the weekend.
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The New Zealand squad were already without players like Dalton Papali’i, Ethan Blackadder, Luke Jacobson and Sam Cane, although the good news is Cane is on track to be available for selection against Italy in what would be his final game for the All Blacks.
Robertson said the deep gash Cane suffered against Ireland was healing well. The All Blacks will be hoping Cane is cleared for the Test, not just to farewell the former captain with a strong performance, but to bolster what is an inexperienced available loose forward unit.
With Finau’s early exit just one minute into the France test, one-cap 21-year-old Peter Lakai came into the game for a 79-minute shift alongside fellow Test rookie Wallace Sititi and vice-captain Ardie Savea.
Finau’s concussion comes with protocols that will cause him to miss the upcoming Italy Test.
“That’s a 12-day stand-down for a start, so he’s not available,” Robertson told media the morning after the loss.
Should Cane also fail to meet the mark, Lakai would be staring at his first Test start and the All Blacks would have to call on another of their recently recruited uncapped All Blacks XV players to fortify the bench. Those candidates are Christian Lio-Willie and Du’Plessis Kirifi.
Robertson had high praise for Lakai after the game, calling him “the future”, he doubled down on that sentiment the next morning.
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“He was accurate, volunteered, backed his skill set. He had a great game for a second Test and with the enormity of it, it was special,” he said.
The other injury withdrawal from the Paris Test was inside centre Jordie Barrett, who had a rib complaint but more concerningly a knee injury. The coach made it clear the knee in question was Barrett’s right knee, not the left one which recently suffered an MCL injury.
“He’s woken up a little bit better, he’ll get a scan and get that checked this morning so we’ll have more on that later today,” Robertson reported, adding there were no more significant concerns on the injury front: “Just a few bumps and bruises but nothing of note.”
Injury won’t be the only factor dictating selection for the Italy Test though, with fatigue after 13 Tests in five months to consider as well as finding opportunities for younger players against a team New Zealand have historically beaten by an average of 51 points.
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“It will be the best team for Italy. This year’s been a great year for us to play 12 debutants, give them game time, get them in, get good combinations and get a bit of cohesion going and this week will be no different.
“A few of these guys are coming into their fourth game in a row now, because we had a few that played Japan, and we’ll get the balance for the best team this week.”
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We need new center's ,not sure about Dmac might be time to find or build a new one he just doesn't cut it, Barrett only got another year 🤔
Why don't they try CC in the middle, give him ago! I think he will be very strong and feisty, hopefully the boys are good to play no serious injuries! AB's have us proud, keep it up not long now you all be home with family.......GO ALL BLACKS 🖤🖤🖤
Whats that team then? Are Clarke or Tele'a likely to come back? Proctor didn't return to the squad did he?
I'd like see the young fullbacks play fullback, and so Jordan cover on the wing instead. Even seeing Reiks on the other wing would be cool, Reece can go back on the bench if theres even room for him there.
So preferably it would be ALB at second five where he came of the bench in the weekend and was great. He's a bit slow on the play for outside center but looks like he might need to play there if we need wingers.
Cane really sounds like he'll bit fit, is he going to want to play? I'd really like to see Kirifi earn a cap if Lakai was the only 7 (Ardie has to be all used up/finished for the year). Which young lock are we going to see come in?
No team lists here, that's kid games...
Ok my team v Italy
EDG > Ofa
Taylor > Aumua
Newell > Tosi
Paddy c
Lord > Holland
Cane
Lio-Willie
Lakai > Kirifi
Roigard > TJP
Dmac
Clarke
ALB > Havili
AJ Lam
Reiko
Perofeta > Love
No, ended his tour with the birth of his child. Plummer came in as cover for him, but injured his leg. AJ Lam is now covering centre.
He definitely will play if fit. Robertson has made it clear he wants Cane back for his final test. I guess it's safe to assume Roigard and Perenara will be the Halfbacks in that case.
There's still room for Kirifi in there, with Finau injured. Right now, we only have Savea, Cane, Lakai, Sititi, Kirifi, and Leo-Willie on hand. I'd be surprised if they don't rest Savea, Sititi, or both.
Darry injured his leg, and it's expected to take six weeks to recover. So the tour ended for him, and Holland got called in for cover. So it's likely him and Lord will be the two young locks picked for the Italy test.
I’d like to see Isaiah Walker-Leawere got a run but it’ll be Fabian Holland if they pick a newbie for lock.
Unlikely though, they’ll want to give all the young fullas a run and will need some experience somewhere in each position.
So Darry, Paddy T for locks with Scott Barret captain.
Back row will be Wallace 6 Ardie and Peter starting, Kirifi on the bench.
Rueban Love to start at fullback, will Jordan right wing, Caleb left, Chay Fihaki the cover. (I’d barely have the dude in the ABs XV but we’ll see.)
Bell to start at hooker, probably Codie on the pine.
I think they’ll start deGroot and Newell, leave Ofa and Tosi as the impact.
They won’t want too many changes.
It is Italy and a Italy do completely suck but they still will want enough firepower there if it goes tits up.