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The All Blacks biggest question marks heading into the Rugby Championship
By Ben Smith
After a 2-0 series win over England and a resounding victory in America over Fiji, the Scott Robertson era has got off to the perfect start.
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The All Blacks have a good segway into the Rugby Championship too, with two games first up at home against Argentina.
While Argentina have tipped two massive upsets in recent years over New Zealand, the All Blacks will be expected to win both ahead of the big tour to South Africa.
Here are the biggest question marks for the All Blacks ahead of the 2024 Rugby Championship campaign.
Halfback worries continue
Halfback remains a challenging position as injuries keep striking. The All Blacks were forced to call up Noah Hotham during the England series, their fifth string No 9.
After one-Test rookie Cortez Ratima went down in the 35th minute, Hotham was required to play big minutes against Fiji. The Crusaders halfback offered some spark, showing a running game that threatened around the ruck and a good tempo.
While Ratima will recover after sitting out the concussion protocols, its safe to say the All Blacks can’t afford to lose any more halfbacks.
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Ratima and Hotham have impressed, but instability at the position is not good in the medium term as the All Blacks try to embed an attack that can take on the likes of South Africa and France.
They need a starter who can string some games together and get into a rhythm with Damian McKenzie.
Will Jordan is not a straightforward selection at fullback
Expected to have made a full recovery from shoulder surgery by the time the Rugby Championship starts, many expect Will Jordan to slot into the All Blacks at fullback where he played under Robertson at the Crusaders.
For the prolific try scorer with 31 in 30 Tests, it’s not so straightforward.
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For starters, Jordan hasn’t played any rugby this year missing the entire Super Rugby Pacific season with the Crusaders and carries no form into the international calendar.
In Dunedin last year against the Wallabies in his first start in the No 15 jersey, Jordan wasn’t convincing. He looked dangerous with ball-in-hand but Test level isn’t all about the explosive carries.
The fact is that Beauden Barrett provides better backfield coverage, a more reliable kicking game, better distribution and his standard of play at Test level is higher. Just roll the tape from the last thirty minutes at Eden Park.
You need a fullback who can relieve pressure and Barrett is the best in the country at cleaning up out the back. He kicks off both feet, has good purchase with his punt (something Perofeta struggled with), and the speed is still there. He can diffuse but also sniff out the chance to counter.
It isn’t talked about at all but Jordan had his worst game in a black jersey in the World Cup final and that was on the wing. He’ll be better for the experience in the long run. The All Blacks can’t have that kind of night from their fullback against South Africa, Ireland or France.
Jordan is too good of a player not to be on the park, but his best position at this level is right wing for now.
Backrow needs to find some dominance against Argentina
The backrow was probably one area where England edged the All Blacks across the two Tests.
Ardie Savea is obviously world class but did not have his usual impact in the second Test at Eden Park. He had 11 carries for 9 run metres as England’s defence stood up and kept him in check.
There was one trademark power run in the lead up to Mark Tele’a’s try, and that was his top play of the night. Two turnovers lost and no turnovers won completed an uncharacteristic night for the superstar No 8.
He rebounded with a great performance against Fiji but nearly everyone looked like a superstar.
Hoskins Sotutu was left out in favour of Wallace Sititi who will be itching to get a run. Against the Pumas, Sititi might get a chance to start.
With South Africa just around the corner, the All Blacks need to find their best combination against Argentina.
That will be tough with Marcos Kremer and Pablo Matera always offering a physical challenge.
Proctor worth another run at No 13
Hurricanes midfielder Billy Proctor’s debut was as good as it gets. On a special night in San Diego, Proctor showed what he can offer the All Blacks.
The 25-year-old has been around the scene for some time at Super Rugby level, patiently waiting for his opportunity. Fundamentally a solid defender, Proctor showed an attacking game that was elite in his first run in the black jersey.
His style is different to Ioane and it’s worth seeing if he can replicate the San Diego performance against a stronger opponent, which Argentina will be.
Starting with Jordie Barrett in Wellington will be familiar for Proctor, not only is it his home town but obviously the Canes pair have played together a lot over the last few years.
It’s worth another look at Proctor as a starter ahead of the trip to South Africa.
The lineout needs to be fixed asap
This is pretty straightforward but the All Blacks set piece cannot continue to malfunction like it did at Eden Park.
Jason Ryan is lucky he’s got no hair as he may have pulled it all out by the end of the England series. The communication errors and unforced handling errors were far below an All Black standard.
The loss of Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick are proving to be huge, particularly Whitelock, who commands the lineout. An experienced play caller, the All Blacks are missing that right now.
When the lineout is blowing up, the play caller has to get it going, even calling throws at the front if that’s what’s needed to get some clean ball.
With more time on the turf at NZCIS, the All Blacks surely will get it right for Los Pumas.
Will Jordan will be our #15 at RWC27 & will no doubt transition to take the reins there under Razor this season. The only question is how will Razor manage his return. BB (who won’t be at RWC27) will be key in his development. It is written.
The backrow needs to find the right combination & so far, we haven’t. This will take time & I think Finau is the right man for #6. At 6’5” & 115kgs, taller & heavier than Frizell, but aged 25, still very much a work in progress. With a group of loosies in the 188-191cm range, we need a tall timber in the mix. Jase Ryan can build him.
As for lock, looking forward we have Holland & Darry over 2 metres & 110+ kgs, both young. But for now, Lord who has been around the ABs a while now needs to step in. I hear he’s fit & bulked up. And still only 23. I hope Razor gets him in the mix v Pumas as our aerial game needs a shot in the arm. Lord will potentially solve aerial issues at lineout & kickoff.
I don’t see any half back issues, I see riches galore.
He’s a late bloomer for sure. Hope he has enough time to develop at 6. Him and Scott for me.
So you desperately need BB to mentor Jordan at 15 and make him a decent FB but then you want to kick BB out? Maybe BB wants to fight for the 15 position and see WJ at wing? Jordan the best winger in the world. BB a better 15 than Jordan.
Will Jordan can't play at altitude so why take him…DMac, B.B and Perofeta can cover #10/15… Jordie is a natural #15 playing #12 and has played #14…its just whoever is the most physically, mentally fit, healthy and injury free players who are honest enough to step up... the AB’s need the matches vs Los Pumas to establish and reinforce combinations before heading to Sth.Africa…how the Wallabies fare against them over the ditch will be watched with interest….
Jordan will play as if he has never been away. Wing or Full Back it won’t matter. He’s a genius. He will find a way to score tries, as he always does!
Will Jordan will start at fullback according to Justin Marshall.
Bet on it.
Beauden will be wearing jersey 22.
Now even the media is obsessed with having 10s taking the place of proper fullbacks, something only nz is fixated with.
As for Ardie, he went through the motions most of last year too before finally looking like he was trying at the world cup. He's either phoning it in again, or maybe much like great loosies of the past, the body eventually starts performing a little less consistently than previous years.
Much like the fullback situation, it would be nice if we actually put a proper No8 at 8 eventually.
At this stage Ill take the 125 test FB over the 31 test winger at 15 thanks. WJ is such a good winger why stuff that up. BB and DM gell so well why stuff that up.
We have like 6 number 8s at the moment. If only we could do a talent transfer or something.
I’d take your BB off your hands and slot him at 15 no problem. What a player.
Pressure doesn’t always come in that form, sometimes its like the second English test, that’s Will Jordans point of difference.
It’s the NZ obsession. Fullbacks are apparently rubbish 15s, so let’s turn every 10 into one instead because “second playmaker”.
It started when Ben Smith was dropped, and with a couple rare exceptions, it’s never really worked in the games that matter.
Now nz journalists have bought into it too.
Jordan is worth 7-10 PTS for them, most games. Super player.
I don’t agree we have problems at halfback, the talent we have available make it one of the most exciting positions we have. It was pleasing to see against Fiji two halfbacks who can pass quickly and initiate attacks right up the guts, offloading to big ball playing forwards like Sititi and Pelosi. It was like AB rugby of old. That’s even without Roigard being available. The only problem is they insist on selecting Christie.
It’s probably because of having Aaron Smith for more than a decade, but I like the guy with the best pass.
But they all offer something unique, which is why it’s so interesting to watch.
Hotham’s pass isn’t as crisp as Ratima’s but his running game was solid, he looked real comfortable at that level.
Christie doesn’t laser it away from the base to my liking either but he’s a hearty little mongrel at the breakdown.
Sux hard that Roigard is injured. I think it will be Roigard/Ratima/Hotham from next year on. They’ll get established then take over from TJ/Finlay.
Jordan definitely a big letdown in the final, he's great when he's got space but the signs were already there that the dour Bok strategy of turning rugby into a dour kick fest were going to not suit him. Lester Fainganuku would've been the smart play.
Interesting to see what action world rugby takes against the Boks as the positive steroid tests start piling up at international level. Generally it's only the tip of the iceberg with today's clever micro dosing.
Not a good look for rugby with them claiming two world cups with static rugby and twin forward packs.
Yes let’s blame the right wing who saw no ball the entire test match for the red card taken by the captain and having to play a man down for 60 minutes.
Good call buddy. Lol.
The 4000lb elephant in the room…
Interesting that there’s been no mention whatsoever on here about Nkosi’s reported drug test…🤔
Taking on the World number 1 and current World Champions won't be easy.
for the first time in a decade NZ probably start as slightly less favourite to SA (particularly with 2 tests in the republic). They will need to win at least one of those tests to claim yet another RC
Don’t think it’s slightly less than favs. There is a big gap there. Our front row can match sa ironically, and that includes their bomb squad (nearly vomitted typing that last bit). But other than that we are way off their pace right now. Don’t know why anyone thinks they played well against Fiji. The game was a rabble. Turned over way too much ball.
Damnit Jmann. Did you just call first dibs on the underdog status!
Now the ABs will definitely win because SA always loses when they are favorites.
Which makes NZ favourites ♾️
I think there’s a lot of rugby to go down.
If NZ do there thing and put like 12 tries on Argentina. And the Wallabies do their thing and find a way to f_ck with the boks plans (which they probably will!) then the ABs will arrive in JHB as hot favorites to win.
Which means the boks will win because they always win when they’re the underdogs.
And Ireland will be the best team in the world.
Will have no problem doing that, normally win at Ellis
A clean sweep of Argentina and Australia is essential (for both NZ and SA) as the RC is probably going to be decided by the two tests in SA and/or log points etc.
It’s going to be down to the wire.
SA seems to struggle at times in Aus ( Aus style of play seems to confuse SA ) but I cant see that happening this year. Aus are lacking any real quality players atm. I think Arg may beat Aus in 1 test.