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

Rugby: Jaded All Blacks call on all of their reserves

Gregor Paul
By Gregor Paul
Rugby analyst·NZ Herald·
28 Oct, 2016 04:00 PM4 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

Aaron Smith will come back in to contention - and will play in Chicago says head coach Steve Hansen. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Aaron Smith will come back in to contention - and will play in Chicago says head coach Steve Hansen. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

History, it seems will always beckon for these All Blacks.

They can make more in the next four weeks - clean sweep their Northern Hemisphere tour and they will finish the season with the most remarkable record.

If they can stay unbeaten, it will be 22 tests in a row without defeat and the second perfect season of the professional age.

The first and most pertinent question is: can they keep winning? Most people have become conditioned to saying yes. Partly because of the All Blacks' form and partly because there is some kind of unconscious belief that the Northern Hemisphere sides the All Blacks will face just aren't that good.

A few points are worth raising about the All Blacks' form. The first is that they are going to have to play the opening test of the tour - against Ireland in Chicago - without their twin towers.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Neither Sam Whitelock nor Brodie Retallick will be available. The former is a long shot to be involved at any stage of the tour while the latter was at the team hotel yesterday, in good spirits, but still not free from concussion symptoms.

He'll stay in New Zealand until he's got medical clearance. Vaea Fifita is covering for him in the meantime.

That means that Patrick Tuipulotu and Luke Romano are likely to start in the US with either Scott Barrett on the bench or one of Liam Squire, Jerome Kaino and Kieran Read asked to cover lock.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Ireland will fancy there is something in that for them to exploit but Tuipulotu is a bruising force who could be one of the big stars of this tour.

Aaron Smith will also come back in to contention - and will play in Chicago says head coach Steve Hansen.

And, with Aaron Cruden back on his feet and George Moala and Waisake Naholo also fully recovered, there is ample competition in the backs and potency with which to load the bench.

That will matter as the All Blacks can be confident they have the resources to weather injuries and fatigue.

Discover more

Sport|rugby

Thorn slams Cheika's 'disrespect' claims

27 Oct 04:45 PM
Sport|rugby

Remembering when All Blacks played in NPC finals

27 Oct 08:04 PM
All Blacks

All Blacks: Northern tour a rare family affair for Barrett

27 Oct 10:17 PM
All Blacks

All Blacks threatened by IRA on '73 tour

27 Oct 11:17 PM

It also means that they have some weaponry they can inject into the affray.

So far this year, the All Blacks haven't been forced to use their bench in desperation. They haven't had to roll the dice in the second half to claw back the game.

That could happen in the next four weeks.

It has been a long season already. Some players; Beauden Barrett, Dane Coles and Ben Smith, have had significant game time already.

At some stage on this tour that workload could bite, as it has in the past. The All Blacks have previously hit the wall physically at this time of year - most notably against Ireland in 2013.

They look to have the depth of talent to shuffle their resources effectively to avoid sending tired warriors in to battle.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

As to whether the opposition they will face can trouble them, Hansen has no doubt they can and that the challenge of heading north at this time of year presents a host of difficulties.

"Weather-wise it is a bit different, the stadiums are a bit different and the mentality of the players we are playing is a bit different," he said.

"They will be more physical. The game up there is based on set-piece to set-piece - it is not as fluid. So we will get a good look at that on a neutral ground against Ireland in Chicago.

"They will come at us with everything they have got and bring a lot of line speed and try to be more physical. It will be a good experience for us trying to cope with it."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from All Blacks

Premium
Opinion

All Blacks player ratings: Which player scored a 9?

12 Jul 10:30 AM
All Blacks

All Blacks put France to sword as Dave Gallaher Trophy returns to New Zealand

12 Jul 09:07 AM
All Blacks

All Blacks reclaim Dave Gallaher Trophy with dominant win over France

12 Jul 08:53 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from All Blacks

Premium
All Blacks player ratings: Which player scored a 9?

All Blacks player ratings: Which player scored a 9?

12 Jul 10:30 AM

How the All Blacks rated in their 43-17 win over France in Wellington.

All Blacks put France to sword as Dave Gallaher Trophy returns to New Zealand

All Blacks put France to sword as Dave Gallaher Trophy returns to New Zealand

12 Jul 09:07 AM
All Blacks reclaim Dave Gallaher Trophy with dominant win over France

All Blacks reclaim Dave Gallaher Trophy with dominant win over France

12 Jul 08:53 AM
Premium
Paul Lewis: Why chasing perfection in rugby is a flawed ambition

Paul Lewis: Why chasing perfection in rugby is a flawed ambition

11 Jul 07:01 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