Crusaders young gun Antonio Shalfoon is outperforming the All Blacks captain - Paul Lewis

Antonio Shalfoon in action for the Crusaders against the Chiefs in round two in February. Photo / Photosport

THREE KEY FACTS

• The All Blacks lack depth in key positions after players’ retirements in 2023.
• Lock remains a problematic selection after the exits of Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock.
• Tasman’s Antonio Shalfoon has so far been a standout in his first season with the Crusaders.

It’s maybe too early to be talking All Blacks selection but one area that will be exercising the minds of the brains trust already will be lock – a position where depth was tested by the retirement of Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick and challenged again now by injury.

Depth is a problem at lock, blindside flanker, centre and, arguably, halfback. Locks Sam Darry and Josh Lord made their way into the national squad last year but Darry is out for the season and Lord has continued his unhappy run of injuries with a crocked knee.

Scott Barrett, Patrick Tuipulotu and Tupou Vaa’i are obvious choices, but the selectors will be surveying lock stocks in case injury woes worsen.

Into that scenario has come exotically-named Crusaders lock Antonio Shalfoon, one of that franchise’s Tasman corps, who has made an energetic start to the season. At 1.98m and 114kg, he has good physical qualifications, though not quite of the 2m/120kg dimensions of Whitelock and Retallick.

What’s impressive, however, is his high workrate and willing contribution to the Crusaders’ recovery from that woeful 2024 campaign. He has claimed a starting spot ahead of promising young lock Tahlor Cahill while veteran Quinten Strange and another promising youngster, Jamie Hannah, have been out injured – and has made Zac Gallagher’s exit to the Hurricanes less significant.

In the first four rounds, he outperformed All Blacks captain Scott Barrett in their joint outings for the Crusaders with his regular ball-carrying and, in particular, a lot of work in defence and at the breakdowns.

The stats for the first four rounds (including the Crusaders’ bye) show he outdid Barrett in most metrics covering tackles, carries, turnovers and metres made – and is on the pace when compared to Tuipulotu and Vaa’i, though less accomplished in terms of metres made carrying.

He is also significantly higher in all those measurements than the 2m, 118kg Fabian Holland of the Highlanders, another the All Blacks coaches will be keeping an eye on after Darry’s injury, and who had a typically busy and committed night in the loss to the Hurricanes on Friday.

Holland is promising and has all the physical attributes but hasn’t yet shone in a way that suggests he is a must for the international arena. Meanwhile, in the fifth round against the Western Force, Shalfoon, 27, was taken off in the 50th minute after copping a knock – but showed some of what has brought him to the fore this season.

He is maybe not as natural an athlete as Cahill but possesses one of those durable engines that propels him round the park. He’s the dominant lineout option for the Crusaders and every game is marked by high numbers of tackles, carries – plus he has surprisingly good hands for a big man, sometimes used as first receiver from the ruck, as Vaai does for the Chiefs.

Shalfoon began Saturday’s game with an attempted lineout steal that led to the Force losing possession and to the Crusaders’ first try – the first of five for winger Macca Springer. Shalfoon’s quick hands were also among several pairs of fast transfers that sparked the raid from which Sevu Reece scored his third try in the Crusaders’ 55-33 win.

The other position concerning the selectors is blindside flanker, especially with the season-ending injury to Wallace Sititi, the incumbent No 6 at the end of the last All Blacks campaign. Ethan Blackadder will be favoured and is an important lineout option. However, he has not made a huge impression so far this season and has a lengthy injury profile – and was rested this weekend.

Other than that, only Simon Parker from the Chiefs has signalled he’s in contention after a bravura performance in their big win over the Crusaders – making two line breaks which he capped with passes for tries, outpointing Blackadder on the day. Parker was part of the All Blacks XV which beat Georgia in Montpellier last year.

Cullen Grace was enjoying a good start to the season before injury and could be another option – though his one test as an All Black came in 2020 in that 24-22 Bledisloe Cup loss. He is still only 25.

The Chiefs’ Samipeni Finau has had some bright moments and a hulking physique but doesn’t always make the Chiefs starting line-up, though that is also down to that coaching group’s wish for a strong finishing bench.

Finau has not really taken his chances yet at All Blacks level. Luke Jacobson is well regarded but his game, like Grace’s, may be more suited to No 8, a hard position to occupy while Ardie Savea is stationed there.

As for openside flanker, assuming Ardie Savea remains at No 8, Dalton Papali’i has had a quiet opening to the season, not helped by the Blues’ loss of form. The Hurricanes’ Peter Lakai has had a typical sophomore season, appearing less effective than he was last year though he played better against the Highlanders on Friday, benefiting from selection at No 8, arguably his best position.

The Highlanders’ Sean Withy is another high-action, hard-tackling loosie but the loose forwards and locks are not, unusually for New Zealand rugby, showing profound depth right now.

There are plenty of players – but are they international quality?