The selection of three locks, including debutant Fabian Holland, to start against France may be a sign of things to come, writes Patrick McKendry.
Modern Test rugby, All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson noted in Dunedin today as he explained his selections for the first Test against France, is a “big man’s game”.
It is also a game for young men.
Fabian Holland, the 22-year-old 2.04m tall lock who will make his Test debut in the No.5 jersey alongside skipper Scott Barrett, happens to be both and that is part of the reason why Robertson and the rest of the coaches are so excited about the Dutch Kiwi.
The other man starting on his Test debut is No.8 Christian Lio-Willie, who at 26 is still relatively young though not particularly big. He is listed at 1.89m (6 foot 2 inches) but is not as physically imposing as Wallace Sititi, who will miss the series with an ankle injury.
The selection of Lio-Willie in the No.8 jersey is not surprising given he is a specialist in the position and therefore a like-for-like replacement for Sititi (Ardie Savea is as equally good there as he is at openside).
But it does help explain the selection of Tupou Vaa’i on the blindslide – perhaps the most surprising of Robertson’s decisions.
Vaa’i is more regularly a lock – he was an increasingly consistent operator there last year – but has the size to perhaps mitigate against what Lio-Willie may lack to be truly dominant at this level.
Robertson, who has named two loose forwards (and no specialist lock) on the bench in the form of Samipeni Finau and Du’Plessis Kirifi, clearly has a plan for Saturday’s Test as he seeks to ease his younger players into the Test environment.
Because while France, who won’t name their team until 9pm tonight, will be relatively inexperienced, the intensity, expectation and pressure on Holland, Lio-Willie and fellow debutants Kirifi and Ollie Norris will be like nothing they have experienced before.
For example, Highlander Holland, who made the move from the Netherlands as a 14-year-old solely because he was determined to represent the All Blacks, was initially planning on buying a ticket to watch the Test with his mother, who is visiting.
Instead, he will run out and be expected to contest the first kick-off.
All things being equal, Vaa’i will replace Holland at lock in the second half, with Finau replacing his fellow Chiefs man on the side of the scrum. Savea will replace Lio-Willie, who originally made the squad as injury cover, making way for the 28-year-old Kirifi to play openside.
Indeed, Kirifi, who turned down offers to play overseas late last year to chase his dream of wearing the black jersey, is yet another story about the value of perseverance.
Element of compromise
So, yes, Test rugby is a game for physically big players but there is an element of compromise in Robertson’s selections as he builds for the future.
As always, the proof will be in the result and it would be difficult for Robertson and company to explain away a single loss to this French team over the next three weeks. That's even allowing for the need to look ahead to what will be a monumental two Tests against South Africa in Auckland and Wellington in September.
Speaking of which, for those contests, bigger probably will be better considering what the Boks are likely to bring.
“We’re looking at options… he’s got the skillset,” Robertson said of Vaa’i’s swich to No.6 after becoming an incumbent lock alongside Barrett last year.
“He’s quick enough, as he keeps telling us, and he can play on the edge well.
“Test footy is a big man’s game. Can he start there or finish there? This week he’s starting.
“It’s a chance to look at the mix and the versatility. There’s a lot of positives to it. We’ve set him up… he’s trained right from the start there, Tupou.”
What gives Robertson the confidence that Lio-Willie can deliver on Saturday?
“His performances over the season, especially the last few weeks,” he replied. “He came on the end-of-year tour with us. It was really important for him to understand how the week works and he slotted straight in.”
As for the man himself, a qualified dentist who studied at Otago University after being lured south from Massey High School to play for the Kaikorai Rugby Club, Lio-Willie revealed that some words of encouragement from Savea, World Rugby’s reigning Player of the Year, had given him all the confidence he needed.
“Do your thing, uce (brother),” was Savea’s message.
“Words like that mean to the world to someone like me, so I’m keen to do it.”
Watch Pat McKendry's analysis of the team with 1News Sport Reporter Michelle Prendiville on TVNZ+
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