[ad_1]
A quick chat with co-selectors John Plumtree and Grant Fox on Tuesday morning, and Ian Foster had his first XV starter as the All Blacks coach.
It won’t announce it to the world until 11.30am on Friday, but for a man named Steve Hansen’s successor in December, it represented another mini milestone in Foster’s seemingly endless wait for test one at the helm.
Now the guessing game increases as to which potential test rookies Foster will hand out a new black jersey, against the Wallabies in Wellington on Sunday. The likes of Caleb Clarke, Will Jordan, Hoskins Sotutu and Asafo Aumua put convincing cases in Super Rugby Aotearoa for at least 23.
Michael Bradley / Getty Images
Blues wing Caleb Clarke is a candidate for a test debut in All Blacks coach Ian Foster’s top pick this week.
“It is always a clean slate. It’s hard to explain, but when you’re at the All Blacks, every week is a clean slate. You have to act, ”Foster said, confirming that she had finalized her line-up before the training session on Wednesday morning.
READ MORE:
* The All Blacks summon Ngani Laumape to the Rugby Championship team
* Ian Foster’s five All Blacks scratching their heads in front of Bledisloe One
* Cheika cannot join Argentina in the camp.
* Covid-19 alert level change means fans can attend second round of Bledisloe Cup rugby
“There are players who have been here for a while with whom I have a lot of knowledge and experience … [but] it’s about who is doing well who we think can do a job right now. We have a great combination on this team; a lot of experience and a lot of novelty, so how we combine to generate some power will be key. “
Of the rookies, Clarke will most likely make his left wing debut after his stellar year, but almost every baseline position offers a tight decision.
Running back Aaron Smith, second five-eighth Anton Lienert-Brown and fullback Jordie Barrett appear as the clearest headlines on the backs, while Beauden Barrett versus Richie Mo’unga in the first five-eighth debate will continue.
Mark Tantrum / Getty Images
Beauden Barrett during an All Blacks gym session in Wellington on Tuesday.
“I know who plays 10, yeah” was all Foster offered. Mo’unga still looks like the favorite in this year’s form.
The package looks simpler, with Shannon Frizell, captain Sam Cane and Ardie Savea the loosest forward combination and Sotutu potentially unleashed from the bench.
Foster said hooker Dane Coles (calf) was also available for selection, even though he wasn’t deemed ready to return to Wellington last Saturday.
“He’s had a pretty bad calf injury and last week was the first week that he returned to a ‘full load’ situation. As with any return to the game, we gave him the weekend to watch and he appeared in great shape yesterday. So the signals are good for a full week of training. “
Midfielder Ngani Laumape (broken arm) was called up to 35 as a replacement for the injured Brayden Ennor, but will not be considered for at least the two Bledisloe events.
Michael Bradley / Getty Images
New coach Ian Foster has some tough picking decisions to make, but he’s already made up his mind on his lineup to face the Wallabies.
After camps at Whakatane and Hamilton the past fortnight, Foster and his assistant coaches Plumtree, Brad Mooar, Scott McLeod and Greg Feek are finally in their first week of testing, notably nearly a year since the All Blacks’ 40- 17 over Wales in the World Cup Playoff for third place on November 1.
The team had a gym session in downtown Wellington on Tuesday and Cane, who was announced as captain in May, will finally lead their test lineup behind closed doors on Wednesday.
Said Foster of the Covid-19 dominated buildup: “It’s amazing isn’t it? With everything going on, this is a week we’ve been waiting for, for a long, long time.
“There is that natural desire to get ahead and play the test today. It’s about harnessing that energy and making sure we go to the park really clear, hungry and excited to be an All Black at home. “
As of Monday night, nearly 28,000 tickets had been sold for Sky Stadium on Sunday afternoon (start at 4pm).
Coach Dave Rennie’s Wallabies, still in quarantine from Christchurch but training as a squad, are also fresh with both teams completing national Super Rugby seasons but no test matches since that World Cup in Japan.
“Is it rusty? Of course it will be because we will try new things under intense pressure and a little bit of the unknown. We can’t complain that we didn’t have time to prepare, ”said Foster.
