It might be worth taking. Julian Savea, a player more about power than speed, has literally looked off the pace in recent outings. His form should return during the tournament and there has been much talk about the selectors shoe-horning utility players into the back three. Hopefully they don't forget this is where their main strike weapons are housed.
Colin Slade is an example - touted by many as a squad member because he can cover first five-eighths, wing, fullback, goalkicking and even, on one occasion, halfback. There is no doubt the selectors respect his utility value and Slade's much improved ability to land pressure kicks. But a wing? Naaaah. Nor is he a penetrative force at fullback.
Charles Piutau was the best All Blacks back in an ordinary showing against Samoa, played well enough against Argentina and was man of the match against South Africa. He has done enough, by most measures, to make the squad but is more a fullback than a wing.
Cory Jane is back after injury and these selectors rate him. He, too, might be a little down on pace these days but think of a Jane mistake when playing for the All Blacks.
They're about as common as a $15 bill. He covers fullback, makes great decisions and revels in the pressure.
Milner-Skudder's dancing, skipping elusiveness has been little seen and analysed by opponents. He is another who can cover fullback, although he is maybe less experienced in defusing the high ball - an absolute certainty to be used against the All Blacks. They want players who can consistently pluck the high ball out of the clutches of rushing opponents and who have the continuity to chime in on the counter-attacks once such possession is gained.
That's where Naholo and Milner-Skudder bring what utility candidates don't - unpredictable firepower on attack. Naholo did well in the high-ball stakes during Super Rugby and during his one test match. He also has real speed and can make telling line breaks.
The All Blacks will likely face either France or Ireland in the quarter-finals and either South Africa, Australia or England in the semifinals. Whichever way you stack that deck up, these will be tight games with the high ball and kicking for territory assured.
That's why the likes of Naholo and even Milner-Skudder are in danger of missing the flight if the selectors let the balance between comfort and creativity get out of skew - too many defensive considerations overshadowing game-breaking possibilities.
Accepting Ben Smith and Savea are certainties for the four back three spots, six are contending for two places: Piutau, Jane, Israel Dagg, Milner-Skudder, Naholo, Slade. In theory, they could solve the problem with a 16/15 forwards/backs split but that seems unlikely. They'll probably take three hookers, five props (including the returning Charlie Faumuina - he plays both sides of the scrum and they'll figure they can get him up to speed on tour), three locks and six loose forwards. If they chop it down to 16, it'll likely be five loosies with no Liam Messam.
A key will be the structure of the matchday bench and that balance of cover versus creativity. If it's a 17/14 split, there seems no room for both Naholo and Milner-Skudder.
Yet Beauden Barrett or Lima Sopoaga could cover fullback in the early matches (against Argentina, Namibia and even Georgia if necessary), with Malakai Fekitoa covering wing, as he did from the bench in the last test against Australia. That would mean no Piutau, which seems unfair and maybe unlikely after his recent good form.
The likelihood is Naholo won't go and Jane could edge out Milner-Skudder, a mistake in my book. In the knockout phases, New Zealand need the potentially matchwinning capabilities of attackers like him and Naholo.
A squad configured on that cover v creativity balance could be:
Hookers: Coles, Mealamu, Taylor; Props: O. Franks, Woodcock, Faumuina, Crockett, B. Franks. Locks: Retallick, Whitelock, Romano; Loose forwards: McCaw, Cane, Kaino, Vito, Read, Messam. Halfbacks: A. Smith, Perenara, Kerr-Barlow; First-fives: Carter, Barrett, Sopoaga; Midfield: Nonu, Williams, C. Smith, Fekitoa; Wings: Savea, Milner-Skudder, Naholo; Fullback: B. Smith. *If Naholo is ruled out, Jane may make it ahead of Piutau.
