The coaches like and trust him but a formidable clutch of high-impact players block Ryan Crotty’s selection for the World Cup squad.
A handful of good All Blacks are not going to make the World Cup cut when it comes at the end of the month, but perhaps the most unlucky of all will be Ryan Crotty.
He is the man who has done no wrong since making his debut in 2013.Seriously, he hasn't had a bad moment in the jersey. Not one.
He's been the most consistent and reliable performer and, while he's started only four of his 15 tests, his contribution has been significant.
Crotty is a player the All Blacks coaches like and trust.
Each time they have brought him off the bench, he's brought calm, measured accuracy. He's made good passes, clever runs and big tackles. He's been in the right place and done the right things — nowhere more obviously than Dublin when he held wide on the touchline to take that pass from Dane Coles to score the miracle try that saw the All Blacks make the greatest escape of all.
There's a huge value attached to that sort of relentless accuracy. When there are game-breakers all around him, Crotty doesn't need to be the man breaking the line. He doesn't need to be making the incredible offload or the huge tackle that turns the game.
Ryan Crotty has done almost no wrong in an All Blacks jersey. Photo / Getty Images
In the final 20 minutes of a big test — such as a World Cup knockout game — there would be plenty who would like to see Crotty out there.
What he'd do would be to keep the pressure on opponents. He'd make sure they didn't get a sniff of opportunity either or the chance to live off All Blacks mistakes.
Crotty in many ways is the perfect man to wear No23 for the All Blacks in the knockout rounds of the World Cup. He'd be the closer — coming on at either second-five or centre. Crotty would keep the ball and keep the All Blacks in the areas of the field they wanted to be.
But the problem is, while he brings a valued set of skills, there are others such as Ma'a Nonu, Sonny Bill Williams and Malakai Fekitoa who bring higher impact portfolios.
They are higher risk, yes, but they are also higher reward and, in Conrad Smith, the All Blacks already have their man to bring a level head and accuracy.
Should he miss out — and given the lack of opportunity he's had so far, that would seem likely — Crotty should keep himself fit. The selectors will want him in England quick smart if any of their midfielders go down with injury.
