There is a glaring difference between the two sides ahead of the fourth Bledisloe Cup test in Brisbane, writes Phil Gifford.
OPINION:
Nowhere is the contrast between the playing stocks of New Zealand and Australia more exposed than in the selection of Reece Hodge at first-five for the Wallabies inSaturday night's final Bledisloe test in Brisbane.
It would have been cruel and unnatural punishment for Australian coach Dave Rennie to toss 20-year-old Noah Lolesio back to the All Black wolves after the poor guy's nightmare debut in Sydney.
But while Hodge, at 26, with 42 tests under his belt, is vastly more experienced than Lolesio, his time in the 10 jersey has been, to put it mildly, sketchy. Basically a utility outside back, he's had one game at first-five in a test, against Japan three years ago, and in Super Rugby has played there just five times in 60 matches.
Reece Hodge of Australia takes a penalty during the Bledisloe Cup match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies. Photo / Getty Images.
First-five is almost as much a specialist position as halfback. Even very good players can't slip into such a vital playmaking slot without a solid background in the role.
As a prime example, when Grant Fox retired in 1993, the All Blacks tried a similar move to what Rennie is doing with Hodge. Marc Ellis was switched from playing on the wing or at centre, to first-five for two tests against Scotland and England on the end of year tour. The England test was lost 15-9, and over summer the experiment was quietly discarded.
Rennie isn't taking a fanciful punt with Hodge for fun. He's just looked in the Australian first-five barrel, and seen, with James O'Connor injured, that he has to scrape around elsewhere.
Michael Hooper of the Wallabies. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
On the other hand, Ian Foster has the luxury with the All Blacks of being able to replace Richie Mo'unga, the man of the match in Sydney, with (pause for a well-deserved and impressive drum roll), Beauden Barrett.
Barrett is a terrific asset as a dual playmaker when he's a fullback, but, as we saw in his later games for the Blues in Super Rugby Aotearoa, he's a sensational first-five.
Playing him in conjunction with former Hurricane teammates TJ Perenara and Ngani Laumape is the sort of smart selection move that's possible when you've got a squad as loaded with talent as the All Blacks.
To be brutally honest, the only realistic hope for an Australian win in Brisbane would be if the All Blacks were complacent. By ringing so many changes, by giving a chance to players like Laumape and Akira Ioane to advance their claims to be starters, Foster will field a side that should be as hungry for victory as the men who played in Sydney so obviously were.
