Rugby: Good players won't make ABs' squad

Lima Sopoaga, right. Photo / Photosport

Knowing they already face a giant test of resilience just making it through the games against Super Rugby sides, the Lions won't find any solace when the All Blacks name their squad today.

What will worry the Lions most is the significant number of good players with test experience who the All Blacks will leave out.

It will say everything about the strength and quality of the All Blacks that they can pick 33 players and still have to break bad news to players most other nations would be using as regular starters.

Regardless of the fine detail, it will be a powerful statement from the All Blacks when they unveil their squad for the three-test series.

It will be a squad almost without weakness.

Pre-tour, the Lions obviously fancied they could build their strategy around a dominant set piece but when the names Owen Franks, Joe Moody, Charlie Faumuina, Wyatt Crockett, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Scott Barrett and Luke Romano are read out by New Zealand Rugby chairman Brent Impey, the visitors might start to think they have been kidding themselves on that front.

Even if Retallick can't recover from his concussion in time, a Whitelock-Barrett combination or a Whitelock-Romano combination isn't exactly a weakness.

When the Lions see a loose forwards line-up that contains Kieran Read, Jerome Kaino and Liam Squire they might hope the All Blacks are taking a risk by including so many players who are well short of game time.

Maybe, but then the All Blacks will be confident the likes of Steven Luatua, Sam Cane, Ardie Savea and Matt Todd are going to ensure there is plenty of gas in the collective tank for the first test.

They will certainly not feel vulnerable with the variety of options they have and when Brad Shields, Elliot Dixon and Akira Ioane can't make it, no one in New Zealand should be panicking.

When it comes to the back three, the All Blacks discard pile is going to be frightening. They have to decide which of Ben Smith, Israel Dagg, Julian Savea, Waisake Naholo, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Seta Tamanivalu, Rieko Ioane, Damian McKenzie and Jordie Barrett they can accommodate.

The issue will be much the same in the midfield. Sonny Bill Williams, Ryan Crotty, Malakai Fekitoa, George Moala and Anton Lienert-Brown all started - or would have had Williams not been injured - tests last year. All of them had their moments, proved in different ways and to different extents that they have what it takes.

Not all of them are going to be named to play the Lions, though.

With Aaron Smith, TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett and Aaron Cruden rock solid necessities, there are 14 midfielders and outside backs vying for 10 places.

Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Lima Sopoaga have probably already resigned themselves to the fact they are long, long shots to be named with the view taken they can be called in if there are injuries at either halfback or first-five.

The only position that hasn't worked out quite the way the All Blacks wanted is hooker as Dane Coles is increasingly doubtful to feature in the series because of his concussion issues.

Coles will still be named but it will be Codie Taylor and most probably Nathan Harris who play.

The All Blacks will miss Coles but Taylor has experience, he has qualities and he is in no way a point of vulnerability.

Gregor Paul's 33-man All Blacks squad

Forwards: Owen Franks, Joe Moody, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Dane Coles, Codie Taylor, Nathan Harris, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Scott Barrett, Luke Romano, Jerome Kaino, Liam Squire, Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, Kieran Read, Steven Luatua, Matt Todd.

Backs: TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Cruden, Sonny Bill Williams, Ryan Crotty, Malakai Fekitoa, Anton Lienert-Brown, Rieko Ioane, Israel Dagg, Waisake Naholo, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Julian Savea, Ben Smith.