Herald rugby reporter Liam Napier tells Ryan Bridge what the All Blacks need to do to win back to back tests against the Springboks and regain the Freedom Cup.
Opinion by Paul Lewis
Paul Lewis writes about rugby, cricket, league, football, yachting, golf, the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
The All Blacks’ depth is growing, with young players such as Simon Parker advancing rapidly.
Beauden Barrett, 36 at the next World Cup, proved his worth with key plays against the Springboks at Eden Park.
Coach Scott Robertson is building depth at No 10, considering options like Ruben Love and Josh Jacomb.
Amid the pleasure of the All Blacks holding off the Springboks at Eden Park and evidence this team is beginning to learn the art of winning ugly, one new thought registered: Richie Mo’unga may not find it easy to dislodge Beauden Barrett for the 2027 World Cup.
Therewas much to enjoy about the All Blacks’ work-in-progress, chiefly the growing depth in the squad and the rapid advance of some of the younger brigade – like Simon Parker, now likely a regular as blindside flanker.
They look on an ascending arc while some of the world champion Boks, as this column pointed out ahead of the test, seem on an arc of a different direction.
However, Barrett, who will be 36 at the next World Cup, also demonstrated his worth at first five-eighths, laying down something of a marker.
Mo’unga has just signed a new contract with NZ Rugby, but will not be eligible for the All Blacks until the November internationals on the end-of-year tour in 2026.
That’s not much time to get World Cup-ready and All Blacks have sometimes taken a while to return to international standard after time in Japan.
Barrett himself was an example after his sabbatical; an exception was (who else?) Ardie Savea.
Barrett, having won the battle for the No 10 jersey with Damian McKenzie, has swiftly set about making himself, if not indispensable, then the next best thing.
He had a hand in all three All Black tries at Eden Park – that pinpoint kick to Emoni Narawa; he set up the second to Will Jordan with that instinctive quick-reflexed left-foot kick for a 50/22; he delivered the scoring pass to a charging Quinn Tupaea for the winner.
The only slight worries are his age and his goalkicking – the All Blacks preferred McKenzie kicking for goal when he came on. Barrett would not be the oldest No 10 in World Cup history – Ireland’s Johnny Sexton (38) claimed that crown in 2023 from England’s Mike Catt (36 when he played in the 2007 final). Mo’unga himself will be 33 by the time of the World Cup.
Not that age is the barrier it once was.
Sports science has helped more elite athletes find ways of keeping muscle mass and speed up along with effective recovery techniques.
That’s partly why Ma’a Nonu is still playing for Toulon at 43 and Hurricanes and Blues star Jimmy Gopperth retired at 41 after scoring more than 4000 points for nine of the world’s best clubs in a 22-year career in New Zealand and Europe.
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has favoured Beauden Barrett in the No 10 jersey this season. Photo / Photosport
Ruben Love is already in the squad but has been billed more as an outside back/fullback.
He seems more of a first five-eighths to me and might get his chance there on tour in November. Other candidates include the Chiefs’ Josh Jacomb and the Crusaders’ Rivez Reihana.
Robertson can point out that his safety-first debut season always left him enough time to build depth but it wasn’t until he and his fellow selectors promoted Tupou Vaa’i from the bench to the starting XV that the All Blacks’ depth began to get, well, deeper.
Vaa’i grabbed his chance; his athleticism, ball skills and pace (for a lock) were more than handy – and he has now grown into a nasty-smiling, physical presence as well.
He turned in a strong performance at Eden Park, dominating the lineouts and grinding hard at the breakdowns, winning two turnovers.
The only black mark was his missed tackle on Cobus Reinach as the Springboks halfback scored in the Boks’ comeback. That (along with his inability to get near Pablo Matera as the Puma set up a try from a scrum the previous week) may have seen the end of playing him at blindside.
The extra height at lineout time is often offset by lack of acceleration on defence.
Vaa’i is now a world-class lock who suits the All Blacks’ patterns down to the ground – good in the wide-ranging, free-flowing stuff but able to tune his game to the tight and torrid tussles as well. And look at what Robertson and co have built at lock, a problem area only a year ago: captain Scott Barrett, Vaa’i, Fabian Holland, Patrick Tuipulotu, Sam Darry and Josh Lord (if the poor guy ever gets an extended run without injury).
Blindside is also looking better with Parker, Samipeni Finau and Luke Jacobson while former first-teamer Shannon Frizell is expected back from Japan at the end of next year, same as Mo’unga.
No real need, then, to keep Vaa’i out of his preferred and best position.
Meanwhile, no one who describes themselves as sane would write off the Springboks yet, the world’s most resilient, determined and resourceful team over the past decade. However, a few of their old soldiers seemed a little battle-weary at Eden Park and over the first three tests of the Rugby Championship.
Some who survived Rassie Erasmus’ second test cull have points to prove on Saturday. Former world player of the year Pieter-Steph du Toit missed a tackle on Jordan in his tryline dash, as did Malcolm Marx, and du Toit also missed Tupaea in the clincher. They will be out to make amends.
Paul Lewis writes about rugby, cricket, league, football, yachting, golf, the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
