Beauden Barrett will be fit to travel north for the All Blacks’ grand slam tour next month but four replacements are needed after the injury toll from their Rugby Championship campaign was revealed.
Barrett suffered a shoulder injury as the All Blacks locked away the Bledisloe Cup at Eden Park to miss the 28-14 victory in the rematch with the Wallabies in Perth.
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson, though, confirmed on Sunday that Barrett will recover for the four-match grand slam tour that starts against Ireland in Chicago on November 2.
“He’ll be fine for the end of the year,” Robertson said.
While Caleb Clarke and prop Ethan de Groot will also rejoin the squad after both remained at home with Barrett due to injuries last week, the All Blacks must replace Tupou Vaa’i, Emoni Narawa, Noah Hotham and Tyrel Lomax from their original Rugby Championship squad as Robertson contemplates the make-up of the 36 players to travel north.
Losing Vaa’i and Lomax are significant setbacks as both are starters in the All Blacks’ first-choice forward pack.
Lomax requires surgery on his broken thumb and Vaa’i is also expected to go under the knife after tearing the meniscus in his knee at training in Perth last Thursday.
“He clicked his knee the week before. He got through training but then he stood up and it locked on him. He’ll see the surgeon now so it’s tough for him, he’s been in good form,” Robertson said of Vaa’i.
The All Blacks are likely to call up Blues lock Sam Darry or Chiefs counterpart Naitoa Ah Kuoi for the northern tour but Vaa’i’s breakdown presence and versatility, having started at lock and at blindside this season, will be difficult to replace.
Hurricanes prop Tevita Mafileo is expected to replace Lomax while Finlay Christie is likely to continue being involved, with Crusaders halfback Hotham sidelined for the remainder of the year by another ankle setback.
Otago halfback Dylan Pledger is the future alongside Cam Roigard but the 20-year-old is yet to play Super Rugby Pacific and is therefore likely to be selected in Jamie Joseph’s All Blacks XV.
There will be more intrigue, though, in who the All Blacks turn to as Narawa’s replacement. The Chiefs wing suffered a season-ending blow to his ribs after scoring the opening try against the Springboks at Eden Park.
With Robertson confirming Narawa won’t return this season, Crusaders wing Chay Fihaki or Highlanders flier Caleb Tangitau could be in line for promotion.
“That was a tough injury for Emoni,” Robertson said. “It was worse than we hoped or expected. He’ll be out for this year.
“We’ve got a good understanding [of the replacement players] and we’ve got an All Blacks XV to select along with Jamie Joseph. They’ve been watching the NPC and who’s in form so that’s a tough team to pick as well.
“We’ve got some great depth and competition. We’ve given a few guys a crack at it and they’ve taken it. Test rugby takes a lot [out] of you mentally and physically so we’re really pleased.”
As he reflected on the Rugby Championship, Robertson regretted conceding the title to the Springboks for a second successive year but after finally delivering back-to-back victories, he believes the All Blacks are improving.
“We wanted Argentina to slip one at the end there and finish top but it wasn’t to be. To push a team like the Springboks right to the end shows how deep the Pumas squad is and how well-coached they are.
“We’re pleased with what we controlled. Both teams were extremely motivated for many reasons. To play like that in the wet, we were stoked.
“There’s some fine margins. That first game against the Springboks at Eden Park, we got into a title-fight arm wrestle and then the next week it got away on us.
“There’s some things we’re making really good progress in like the aerial battles. Some set piece stuff can make a big difference week to week. We feel like we’ve done that pretty quickly.
“It would’ve been nice to have had another crack at the Springboks this year but we’ll get plenty at them next year so we look forward to that.”
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.