Hamilton projects its tagline as New Zealand’s city of the future. For the All Blacks this week, it will be the destination of opportunity.
With the series against France secured after their dominant win in Wellington, the All Blacks will make good on the promise to use their full squad in the last of the three tests against the significantly understrength tourists.
Some changes will be injury-enforced with Tupou Vaa’i failing his head injury assessment (HIA) after another strong performance.
The All Blacks are pleased with Vaa’i’s progression from lock to blindside flanker, where he scored two tries in as many tests against France, but the No 6 jersey will now be handed on, with assistant coach Jason Holland confirming he had failed his HIA.
“Tupou gives you another big man in your lineout but he’s mobile and he’s quick around the park and he likes to put a shoulder on defensively,” Holland said. “They’re all good attributes of a six so it’s really exciting.”
Chiefs blindside Samipeni Finau looms as the natural replacement after two appearances off the bench but the versatile Luke Jacobson is also available.
Holland suggested Caleb Clarke would be sidelined for five to six weeks by his ankle injury, suffered in training, but Sevu Reece could return from the head knock that forced him from the field in the first minute of the season-opening test in Dunedin, in a boost to their light wing stocks.
Patrick Tuipulotu impressed in his starting return to replace Scott Barrett with several powerful carries and one lineout steal but the Blues captain is nursing a knee knock that may rule him out this week.
With Barrett already sidelined, Fabian Holland will be asked to start his third successive test – after two huge 80-minute shifts – and Chiefs lock Naitoa Ah Kuoi could be called up for his All Blacks debut on his home Super Rugby Pacific patch.
Anton Lienert-Brown, after recovering from a broken collarbone, is expected to be thrust in to start in the midfield – possibly alongside Chiefs partner Quinn Tupaea.
Damian McKenzie is likely to be handed his chance to start at first five-eighth too.
Crusaders halfback Noah Hotham and Chiefs hooker Brodie McAlister, the latter awaiting his test debut, are certainties to be included, likely off the bench.
Ruben Love, another yet to feature in this series, could be promoted to start at fullback as Will Jordan, despite his continued try-scoring feats, is carrying a niggly knee injury.
“Ruben has been unbelievable at training and setting us up. You saw how the French play with their kicking game and control and how they try and hurt you in the air,” Holland said.
“Ruben has run a gem of a French cutter for the last two weeks training against us. He’s been working really hard behind the scenes so he’ll be ready to go when he gets his opportunity.”
Love marked his fleeting test debut off the bench with two tries on the wing against Japan last year. His best position remains up for debate after he switched between fullback and first five for the Hurricanes this season.
Holland, who handed Love his first Super Rugby Pacific appearance at the Hurricanes, expected him to be injected into the back field.
“Ruben is a great student and he’s learning quickly. Position-wise I think probably 15 at the moment. He’s quite capable of jumping in at 10 in a test match, I believe.”
Striking the delicate balance between ushering in widespread changes and maintaining the quest to improve and innovate is never straightforward but the All Blacks will embrace combinations where possible.
“We’ve got a few guys who are chomping at the bit and have been training really well by setting the fifteen up the last couple of weeks. There’s some high energy among those guys who are dying to have a crack,” Holland said.
“The general mindset was to make sure everyone gets a taste of some test footy in these three games. I don’t think anything will change there.
“The expectation is everyone understands the role. We know we’ve got lots of areas we still need to be better so I’m sure the boys will keep adding when they get their opportunity.”
Liam Napier is a Senior Sports Journalist and Rugby Correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. He is a co-host of the Rugby Direct podcast.