Rugby: All Blacks coach Ian Foster is ready to unleash the rookies in the first round of the Bledisloe Cup against the Wallabies

Ian Foster’s All Blacks maiden team will contain something old, something new, and build on the intention of leaving the Blue Wallabies. Yet striking the balance between proven experience and injecting enthusiastic newbies is one of the hardest parts of the job.

Despite all the benefits modern technology offers coaches, selection remains a skill of intuition.

Many variables (form, experience, body language, temperament) come into play. That scenario is further complicated when evaluating whether a rookie is ready for the test arena and ready to be thrown into the fire or to be transferred from the bank.

With six rookies on his All Blacks first team, Foster is sure to unleash a few in the opening round of the Bledisloe Cup against the Wallabies in Wellington on Sunday afternoon.

Tupou Vaa’i, the 20-year-old Taranaki prospect, is in line for his debut from the bench behind locks Sam Whitelock and Patrick Tuipulotu. Blues No. 8 Hoskins Sotutu could do the same, with Ardie Savea likely to start at the back of the scrum alongside captain Sam Cane and a physical blind flank, with Shannon Frizell, Akira Ioane, Dalton Papalii and Cullen Grace all options. to fill that role.

And on the outer wings, Caleb Clarke and Will Jordan are knocking on the door after outstanding Super Rugby campaigns.

However, don’t expect Foster and fellow selectors John Plumtree and Grant Fox to make complete changes since their World Cup semi-final loss to England last year. Twelve players who started that game nearly a year ago remain in this 35-man squad. Everyone could participate in the beginning of this new era.

In an interview with the Herald, Foster describes his selection challenges.

“We’ve met some of these guys a week ago in terms of being able to train with them. We haven’t been able to see these guys in their franchise settings week after week with the travel restrictions, so ‘We’re learning a lot as we go We are getting to know the players and seeing them in the game we want to play and seeing what their actions are like.

“Are we afraid to include some young players? No, we are not. The reason we chose them is because they are good enough. Now we have to see how they fit in and adapt to being an All Black. If that adjustment is quick , then they are on the selection radar immediately. “

Much of the focus outside of camp this week, of course, will be consumed by whoever starts at number 10. The Richie Mo’unga-Beauden Barrett debate has largely overlooked the prospect of the duo starting together, however , with Jordie Barrett potentially switching from right back to right back.

The defeat in the World Cup semifinal in which the All Blacks group was crushed left the bottom line on the back foot, playing behind the win line all night in Yokohama.

Otherwise, however, the All Blacks were happy with the way the Mo’unga-Barrett play-making partnership progressed, and in the first test of the year they may be tempted to try again.

Regardless of which pick Foster makes at No. 10, and to a lesser extent competitive midfield and full-backs this week, he knows it will provoke polarized opinions.

“Is it going to be difficult? It’s not because I know what I’m going to do, so I’m pretty relaxed about it.

“The fact is, we have two guys that we are more than happy to start and I’m sure at some point this year they will both play in the 10. It’s a question of how and when we do it.

“I have the same dilemma in midfield and on the wings. That is the beauty of the team. The team we choose will be judged and we understand that. The team the critics choose is not judged. That is part of being an All Black.

“We’re excited about building this whole team, building deep, that’s what this year is all about.”

Foster announced his 23-man squad for the Wallabies to the team this morning, but he won’t reveal his hand publicly until Friday.

For the expectant New Zealand rugby crowd, that wait will be agonizing.

“Everyone is eager to see what the pecking order is like. Right now we’ve been trying to turn this into a small group. The hardest part is trying to hold them back a bit.

“There are some tough decisions across the board, we can all see that.”