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'Someone had to miss out': Why Crusaders and Highlanders loosies missed All Blacks cut
By Ben Smith
Despite the impressive form of three Crusaders and Highlanders loose forwards, none managed to earn All Blacks selection ahead of next month’s three-test series against Ireland.
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Highlanders duo Shannon Frizell and Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, as well as Crusaders standout Cullen Grace, joined Chiefs star Luke Jacobson as the biggest loose forward omissions at the first All Blacks squad announcement of the year on Monday.
All Black assistant coach John Plumtree explained this came down to certain preferences from the national selectors despite some strong Super Rugby Pacific form from Grace and the uncapped Mikaele-Tu’u.
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Frizell, who has 17 test caps to his name, also missed the cut despite playing three tests in a disrupted 2021 All Blacks campaign.
This season, Frizell impressed with his physicality and ball-carrying prowess before succumbing to a knee injury that sidelined him for eight weeks.
He only returned little more than a week ago, playing a bench role in the Highlanders’ quarter-final loss to the Blues at Eden Park, but Plumtree said the 28-year-old’s condition isn’t quite where he needs to be.
“Obviously, another player been injured pretty much the whole year. I was pretty happy with his little cameo against the Blues but it’s the only time we’ve got to see him play really,” Plumtree said on Monday.
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“He started the season really well before he got injured. He’s a big man and he needs time to get fit. He’ll just be working hard on that and we’ll keep contact with him.
“We know what he brings to the international game. We’ll just watch him progress his fitness slowly.”
Likewise, Frizell’s Highlanders teammate Mikaele-Tu’u had an impressive Super Rugby Pacific season, but that wasn’t enough to tip the scales in the 24-year-old’s favour.
Instead, Blues star Hoskins Sotutu and Chiefs powerhouse Pita Gus Sowakula have been picked as the preferred No 8 options behind the incumbent Ardie Savea.
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Plumtree spoke particularly highly of Sotutu, who had a breakthrough 2020 campaign before a slight slump in 2021, but has found his groove again this season after working on his game and showing improvement in the areas the All Blacks wanted.
It’s for that reason that the All Blacks opted to go ahead with the 10-test international rather than Mikaele-Tu’u.
“Marino was good but we didn’t see him as being quite as good as the others at this stage. Hoskins Sotutu, I think he’s played the house down for the Blues this year consistently,” Plumtree said.
“The things that we asked him to work on, he’s gone away and he’s put a real big focus on it. I think the boys have done a real good job with him. Go back to Marino, yep, playing well, but right now we saw Hoskins as just ahead of him.”
The uncapped Sowakula, meanwhile, was the surprise pick in the loose forwards after an eye-catching Super Rugby Pacific season and joins Savea, Sotutu, captain Sam Cane, Dalton Papalii and Akira Ioane as the squad’s back row cover.
Plumtree reasoned that Sowakula’s ability to create go-forward is what led to his selection as they ultimately could not resist what the Fijian-born 27-year-old can bring to the table at a time when international defences are so constricting.
“We’re really excited about him coming into international rugby,” Plumtree said.
“He’s an experienced campaigner. He’s been around for a little bit. I think this year, particularly, we’ve seen him play more consistently and certainly at the start of Super Rugby, he was unbelievable.
“Just loved what he can bring to a game through his power. The fact that in international rugby, momentum is hard to find – especially when defence is so flat.
“Pita Gus is one guy that certainly can dent a [defence] line, if you like. We’re pretty happy with him.”
Sowakula’s selection came at the expense of both Grace and Jacobson, both of whom have been part of previous All Blacks squads.
Jacobson was a part of the All Blacks squad in 2021 and featured in 10 tests during the season, including a start at No 8 against the Springboks on the Gold Coast.
Plumtree said that it was “tough” to leave Jacobson out, but reaffirmed that the door is open for a return should the chance arise.
“Luke’s been good too. The thing with Luke is he can play in three different positions in the loose forwards which makes him pretty valuable,” Plumtree said.
“Obviously we’ve got Ardie, Dalton can do that [play all across the back row]. It was just really the mix of the loose forwards. Luke’s there, only has to be an injury or two and we’d be going to him, I guess.
“Tough to leave Luke out. Playing consistently well, as well. I guess with the loose forwards in this country, there’s always going to be that, isn’t there? There’s always a number of loose forwards [that are in form].
“Look at the No 8s in all five teams, they’ve been excellent this year so pretty tough decisions to make in those areas.”
That sentiment extends to Grace, who played just one test from the bench in 2020 and has been pushing to reclaim his place in the All Blacks mix since.
Crusaders boss Scott Robertson publicly endorsed his young No 8 last week, saying that he is currently “playing like an All Black” after Grace scored his side’s only two tries in their semi-final win over the Chiefs.
However, that wasn’t enough to convince the All Blacks selectors, who, according to Plumtree, simply preferred other options.
“Cully, he’s been with us before, a couple of years ago, and we know where he fits in from a physicality and skills [point-of-view],” Plumtree said.
“I thought all five No 8s in the country have been playing really good footy and Cully’s been one of them, but, again, it’s just a preference thing.
“Again, we’ve got 13 test matches this year and we’ve got some really good loose forwards in this country and unfortunately someone had to miss out.”
Selection is just three men's opinion, four if you count Fox.
That’s fair enough on Frizell. Honest and direct. Sounds like they want him. They have a clear plan.
What is this “it’s just a preference thing”? Surely the selectors can articulate succinctly why they have picked some players, and not others. “Preference” here can mean anything - and nothing. Every time one of the AB coaching group opens their mouths I get worried. Muddled, unclear, self-contradictory thinking. Why reason when a good cliche will do?