NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Rugby / All Blacks

All Blacks: Five talking points of the European tour

Patrick McKendry
By Patrick McKendry
Reporter·APNZ·
31 Oct, 2012 12:00 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Kieran Read has been in the form of his life this year. Photo / Greg Bowker

Kieran Read has been in the form of his life this year. Photo / Greg Bowker

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Patrick McKendry lists five reasons to keep a close watch on the All Blacks' Northern Hemisphere tour.

1. Early surprises
Coach Steve Hansen has signalled a new rotation policy for the first two tests against Scotland and Italy because his side have a six-day turnaround between the games. Whatever the reason,
it's a good chance to have a look at different combinations so his first two match-day squads will be eagerly anticipated. Captain Richie McCaw will get a rest in at least one of them, so Sam Cane will get the chance to earn his second test start. It will also be interesting to see how newcomers Dane Coles and Tawera Kerr-Barlow perform. Coles has the chance to cement a place as the third best hooker in the country, and Kerr-Barlow could overtake Piri Weepu as the second best halfback by the end of the tour.

2. Kieran Read's captaincy
No Richie means Kieran Read gets the top gig and it's one he will continue next year in the June internationals against France. Read has been in the form of his life this year - he is considered by some to be the best player in the world - but it will be interesting to see how he copes with the added responsibilities the All Blacks' captaincy brings. Read is well liked by his teammates and has the potential to be an excellent captain for the national side after a good grounding at Canterbury and the Crusaders. However, he isn't likely to get quite the same respect with which international referees treat McCaw.

3. Ali and Piri
Both can consider themselves lucky to be on tour considering their lack of form this year and both have got a trip due to their experience and what they have done for Hansen. The spotlight will be on Williams, considered by the All Blacks' coach as the fourth best lock in the country, and Weepu, a halfback not wanted by Auckland in the ITM Cup final. Can they prolong their careers with impressive showings in the Northern Hemisphere? Despite a knee injury which has limited Williams' recent game time, he is likely to get little leeway from his critics, and the pressure will go on Weepu to up the speed of his game when he comes on to replace Aaron Smith. A start against Scotland or Italy is possible for him, however.

4. Undefeated record
The All Blacks' goal of winning every test this year foundered in the draw against Australia in Brisbane, but they have every chance of going through 2012 undefeated. The All Blacks' longest unbeaten streak came between 1987-90, when they put together a run of 23 games without a loss, although that included a 19-19 draw with Australia in 1988. If they remain undefeated against Scotland, Italy, Wales and England, the All Blacks would have gone 21 games without defeat. Their chasing of a new undefeated record will be tested against their nemesis France during the three home tests next year.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

5. Manu Tuilagi
Samoan-born centre Manu Tuilagi was one of the few England players to emerge from the World Cup with their reputations enhanced, although unfortunately for him that was before he took an ill-conceived jump off a ferry into the Waitemata Harbour a few days later. Hopefully Tuilagi, who moved to England as a youngster and has been creating waves of a good kind at Leicester Tigers, remains injury-free during England's autumn internationals against Fiji, Australia and the Springboks and is available to play the All Blacks. The thick-set Tuilagi, 21, is a rare and valuable thing - an England back with the potential to excite.

Discover more

All Blacks

All Blacks: Departing Thomson still selected

29 Oct 04:30 PM
All Blacks

All Blacks: New hooker alert to practical jokes

29 Oct 04:30 PM
All Blacks

All Blacks: One of Hansen's choices a hard sell

29 Oct 04:30 PM
Business

All Blacks: Sky TV still to confirm rights for Italy test

29 Oct 07:31 AM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from All Blacks

All Blacks

France overhaul squad for second All Blacks test

10 Jul 08:13 AM
Premium
All Blacks

Why All Blacks changed selection tactics for French rematch

10 Jul 05:08 AM
New Zealand

The big All Blacks selection talking points

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from All Blacks

France overhaul squad for second All Blacks test

France overhaul squad for second All Blacks test

10 Jul 08:13 AM

Gaetan Barlot will captain the side, with Gael Fickou rested for the clash in Wellington.

Premium
Why All Blacks changed selection tactics for French rematch

Why All Blacks changed selection tactics for French rematch

10 Jul 05:08 AM
The big All Blacks selection talking points

The big All Blacks selection talking points

Savea named captain; All Blacks make three changes for second test

Savea named captain; All Blacks make three changes for second test

09 Jul 10:04 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP