Three months out from the World Cup the All Blacks will reveal their 36-man Rugby Championship squad tomorrow night at Ian Foster’s club in Te Awamutu. Liam Napier identifies six rookies knocking on the door of selection.
Age: 26
Will he make the squad: Highly likely
Not since Israel Dagg surged past Mils Muliaina at the 2011 World Cup has a fullback presented such a timely, compelling case for inclusion. Stevenson’s rise started in last year’s NPC where he featured prominently alongside Mark Telea in North Harbour’s slick back three. His growing confidence was clear then, and with it came the consistency he’d struggled to deliver to that point in his career.
It’s no coincidence that around this time NRL supercoach Wayne Bennett came calling with an offer to join the Redcliffe Dolphins. Stevenson visited Bennett’s Toowoomba farm but a belated call-up to the All Blacks XV – after missing selection in the original squad – could prove a turning point in his prospects.
Stevenson shone against Ireland A on that northern tour, scoring two tries in Dublin. In combination with Damian McKenzie he’s since been irrepressible, leading the Chiefs with telling interventions from the backfield. Stevenson’s attacking qualities show no bounds. His kicking vision and ability to create chances for others are the biggest improvement this season. While concerns persist about him forming the last line of defence, the same has been true of Will Jordan.
Comfortable at fullback and wing, Stevenson is a must-have for the All Blacks. With 11 tries this season, second only to Telea, while ranking among the Super Rugby leaders for carries, running metres and offloads, Stevenson could not have done any more to push into the heavily congested back three.
Age: 22
Will he make the squad: Likely
Identified as a contender late last year, as something of a surprise inclusion in the All Blacks XV squad, Roigard seized that shoulder tap and the opening created by TJ Perenara’s injury-enforced absence at the Hurricanes to consistently state his credentials.
Roigard finished this season as the Hurricanes’ joint top try-scorer alongside winger Kini Naholo, with nine from 14 appearances, to underline his support lines and running threat. His defensive qualities and combativeness are often hailed as his point of difference, compared to Aaron Smith and Brad Weber in particular, but Roigard’s booming left foot is the standout quality.
Accurate box kicks are not an easy skill to master yet this is one of Roigard’s strengths. His lengthy clearance kicks also offer an enticing contrast to Richie Mo’unga’s right boot.
Cambridge-schooled Roigard has long been a hyper-competitive character. He competed as a speedway saloon driver – finishing second one year – before graduating to a full-time Super Rugby contract last season. At the Hurricanes he was one second shy of beating Beauden Barrett’s bronco fitness testing record, too.
Locked in a four-way battle with Weber, Finlay Christie and Folau Fakatava to be Smith’s World Cup understudy, Roigard is bidding to become Onewhero’s – a small, rural Counties Manukau club – maiden All Black.
Age: 22
Will he make the squad: Highly likely
Opportunity knocked for Williams this season and after laying the groundwork, he has reaped the rewards. Injuries to Crusaders props Joe Moody, George Bower, Oli Jager and Fletcher Newell thrust Williams into a leading role. After two starts in his first 22 Super Rugby appearances he was suddenly the fulcrum of the Crusaders scrum.
Prior to this year, Williams largely played loosehead prop but Jager’s extended absence pushed him to the tighthead side and, in turn, significantly enhanced his versatility appeal for the All Blacks. Once a No 8 at Kerikeri High School, Williams has since morphed into a modern-day all-court prop. While he still weighs 140kg, his fitness has dramatically improved as he gradually grasped all elements of professionalism.
All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan has close tabs on Williams’ development from his time at the Crusaders. Williams is no longer seen exclusively as an impact weapon but with established props thin on the ground, the prospect of unleashing him off the bench for the All Blacks and assessing his test readiness should be too compelling to ignore.
Age: 28
Will he make the squad: Unlikely
David Havili will be back for the World Cup but his hamstring injury opens the door for the All Blacks selectors to be brave and bold. The safe midfield option is to promote Braydon Ennor, who, to be fair, has impressed for the Crusaders from centre this season. Jack Goodhue is another candidate to cover 12 and 13. For the Rugby Championship, though, why not harness Levi Aumua, one of the most damaging ball carriers in Super Rugby this season?
The Crusaders were so taken by Aumua’s destructive performances for Moana Pasifika they lured him south next year, on a contract that settled the eligibility debate by confirming his aspiration to represent the All Blacks. Rather than send Aumua off with the All Blacks XV to Japan, let’s find out whether he’s ready for the test arena now. No one else in the midfield frame can bend and break the line the way he can.
Age: 24
Will he make the squad: Unlikely
Nailing a starting spot let alone standing out in a Chiefs forward pack featuring Sam Cane, Brodie Retallick, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Luke Jacobson, Pita Gus Sowakula and Tupou Vaa’i is no easy feat. That’s precisely what the 24-year-old Tongan-born Finau has consistently achieved this season. He’s slotted in at lock, blindside and No 8 to prove his versatility and lifted his physicality on both sides of the ball as the playoffs arrived.
In recent years, the All Blacks No 6 jersey has been a revolving door. Scott Barrett and Shannon Frizell are favoured to contest that role for the World Cup. Jacobson is firmly in the mix, too, with Akira Ioane under serious pressure to retain his spot. At this point in his trajectory, Finau seems destined for the All Blacks XV but there’s a growing sense he would not look out of place in a fully-fledged black jersey.
Age: 23
Will he make the squad: Possible
Wingers are the one position, particularly in World Cup year, where the All Blacks have recent history of selecting on form. Four years ago Crusaders wings George Bridge and Sevu Reece were promoted over Rieko Ioane and Ben Smith. In 2015, Nehe Milner-Skudder and Waiseke Naholo rapidly rose to prominence. Narawa firmly falls into this category.
In his second season with the Chiefs, after playing seven games in two years with the Blues, Narawa has proven his quality as a finisher. Like Stevenson, Narawa carried his NPC form with Bay of Plenty through to the Chiefs, where he’s developed a sense of belonging.
After a quiet couple of weeks, Narawa returned to prominence in last week’s quarterfinal against the Reds. Narawa possesses the rare ability to create something from nothing – and he’s a strong defender too. The Fijian-born prospect does, however, face stiff competition in the form of Will Jordan, Caleb Clarke, Telea, Stevenson and Leicester Fainga’anuku to crack the All Blacks squad. Ian Foster can’t select them all.
Billy Harmon was the best player in a battling Highlanders team. He worked tirelessly to consistently lead from the front. The All Blacks don’t need a fourth openside flanker, though. Harmon would be the perfect choice to captain the All Blacks XV, and step in if injuries strike.
Unavailable due to injury: David Havili, Joe Moody, Patrick Tuipulotu, Sevu Reece, George Bower, Cullen Grace, Angus Ta’avao, Quinn Tupaea.
Props: Ethan de Groot, Tyrel Lomax, Tamaiti Williams, Ofa Tuungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Nepo Laulala
Hookers: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Codie Taylor, Dane Coles
Locks: Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Tupou Vaa’i, Josh Lord
Loose forwards: Sam Cane, Dalton Papali’i, Shannon Frizell, Akira Ioane, Ardie Savea, Hoskins Sotutu, Luke Jacobson
Halfbacks: Aaron Smith, Brad Weber, Cam Roigard
First-five: Richie Mo’unga, Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie
Midfield: Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Anton Lienert-Brown, Braydon Ennor
Outside backs: Will Jordan, Caleb Clarke, Mark Telea, Shaun Stevenson, Leicester Fainga’anuku
At 15, Greg Cooper was told he had only six months to live.