The latest All Blacks announcement has featured an unexpected gathering of extra players as doubt remains about the fitness of locks Scott Barrett and Patrick Tuipulotu 10 days before the first Test against England.
After 32 players were named in Scott Robertson’s squad in Christchurch on Monday night, 40 players were present at today’s squad assembly in Lower Hutt, including the injured former skipper Sam Cane, and the similarly incapacitated Will Jordan, plus David Havili, George Bower, Ruben Love, Peter Lakai, Josh Lord and Sam Darry.
Midfielder and outside back Havili, lock Darry, loosehead prop Bower, and fullback Love were named as injury cover in Monday’s announcement, but the presence of the uncapped Lakai, the 21-year-old Hurricanes flanker, was a surprise, as was that of Lord, the Chiefs lock who has been hit by knee and ankle injuries this year and has hardly played.
After today’s announcement at the National Campus for Innovation and Sport, All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan could not confirm that Barrett, the new All Blacks captain, and Blues captain Tuipulotu would be fit for the first Test in Dunedin a week on Saturday. Tupou Vaa'i is the only other lock named in the squad.
Barrett missed several late-round matches for the Crusaders, who didn’t qualify for the playoffs, due to a back injury, while Tuipulotu, an inspirational figure for the Blues in their final victory over the Chiefs, is carrying a knee injury.
“Not sure,” was Ryan’s answer about the pair’s availability. He added: “We have two days of camp this week and the Test week starts next week. It’s not a concern, no.”
Jordan’s shoulder injury, which ruled him out for the entire Super Rugby season, means the All Blacks don’t have a specialist fullback apart from Beauden Barrett and to a lesser extent Stephen Perofeta, another converted first-five. That may explain Love's presence as cover.
However, Ryan said Jordan, who scored a World Cup record-equalling eight tries last year, was on track for a return after next month’s two Tests against England in Dunedin and Auckland and one against Fiji in San Diego.
“He was in with us last week,” Ryan said. “Obviously [he’s had] no contact yet but he’s progressing really well and he’ll progress with us next week and hopefully get some contact in two or three weeks’ time.”
Asked about Cane, who has been recovering from a back injury in Japan and has been ruled out in the short term, Ryan said: “We’ve got some players coming in as injury cover and he’s one of those.”
Ryan added that Lakai is also in as cover, although the All Blacks appear to be well endowed with loose forwards in Ardie Savea, Dalton Papali’i, Ethan Blackadder, Wallace Sititi, Luke Jacobson and Samipeni Finau.
Asked about the vibe in the camp, Ryan said: “The reality is we haven’t done anything. Everything is shiny at the moment but we’ve got a Test match next weekend.”
Savea, meanwhile, overlooked as skipper by Robertson in favour of Barrett, also known as Scooter, said: “I think the important thing is we have to come together as one – five franchises into the All Blacks… making sure we learn and grow and push forward.
“It’s always a privilege being an All Black. [I’m] always beside Scooter.”
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