All Blacks: Fekitoa looks the player to trouble Boks

Malakai Fekitoa looked like a young Ma'a Nonu against the Pumas. Photo / Getty Images

Makeshift second-five’s pace and power must put him into contention for test start.

What may have been a relatively simple decision to slot Ryan Crotty straight in at second-five to play the Springboks will now be under review.

Whatever expectations the All Black coaches had for Malakai Fekitoa playing out of position in La Plata, it's likely he surpassed them. He was without a hint of nerves.

He was lively, hungry, willing and phenomenally powerful. He looked remarkably like a young Ma'a Nonu - so capable of staying on his feet in the contact and throwing off the first tackler.

He was equally strong and balanced when he went into the breakdown and picked off a couple of turnovers that mattered.

Those fast feet got him into the right place to attack defenders' weak shoulders and get either fully or half past the tackle. And that's what his job was all about - getting over the gainline and bringing those around him on to the ball at pace.

The best part of his game, though, was his explosive tackling. There were a couple of thunderous hits that really did stop the Pumas dead in their tracks. His timing was delicious and there would have been a few sore Pumas' bodies afterwards.

The value of those big hits was significant: when outside backs get crunched they become wary. They start to look around, to be that little bit tentative and cautious.

The All Blacks like that venom he brings. They like that ability of his to make something out of nothing and back himself to drive through the defence.

Crotty isn't the same type of player. He's tidier than Fekitoa who, for all his industry and eagerness, was guilty of not always protecting the ball.

He'll be annoyed that he didn't safely gather and recycle after getting on the end of Richie McCaw's breakout early in the second half.

He'll be annoyed that he was also isolated a couple of times and forced to hang on until he was penalised.

Crotty is lower reward, but lower risk and there will be plenty for the selectors to ponder in regard to their No 12 selection for the Ellis Park clash.

Fekitoa has the ability to trouble and break the Springbok line. He has the potential to turn the momentum with his defence and punch bigger holes when he carries.

But the game against the Boks will inevitably be tighter, more intense and mistakes likely to be more costly.

Crotty has shown himself to be an accurate contributor in his previous appearances. He's a smart decision-maker - he gets it right on when to hit it up and recycle; when to look for space and when to distribute. He could give the All Blacks a direct and composed 60 minutes and Fekitoa a high impact, explosive final quarter when they might be hanging out for fresh legs and inspiration.

Or perhaps on the evidence, it would be best to wind up Fekitoa and let him loose from the start.