One of the most intriguing selections in the 2022 rugby season will be the All Black props.
The All Blacks returned from the northern hemisphere tour with criticism ringing loud about the ball-carrying quality of their props. They were shown up by the Irish and French props – addingto the public criticism voiced pre-World Cup in 2019 by then coach Steve Hansen.
His view then was a little different: the big front-row props were not getting off the deck quick enough to re-engage with the action. While work has clearly been done in that regard, front-liners Joe Moody and, in particular, Nepo Laulala were shown up by Ireland's Tadgh Furlong and Andrew Porter plus France's Uini Antonio, Cyrille Baille and substitute Demba Bamba. In all cases their carrying, passing and offloading was superior.
This is hard to take for Kiwi rugby fans. The ball-playing prop has been a prominent part of the New Zealand game in past years. Last time I looked, the world record for test try-scoring by a prop was jointly held by Tony Woodcock and Kees Meeuws (10). Meeuws has the superior strike rate but scored many of his tries against lower-ranked opposition. Woodcock scored most of his against the big boys; both rated highly for mobility and ball skills.
There have been other New Zealand examples of front-row speed of foot and skill of pass like Ken Gray, Steve McDowall and Olo Brown who, though he never strayed far from his core scrummaging duties, had speed and attacking ability.
Moody might just about escape the intense focus likely to come – probably the most mobile and effective around the park. Laulala's star dimmed and, of the others on tour, Ofa Tu'ungafasi and Karl Tu'inukuafe seem to have stood still while George Bower, although busy, may not be the answer.
Of others less used, like the injured Angus Ta'avao and Tyrel Lomax, Ta'avao is mobile but may have to tidy up his scrummaging. Lomax progressed on this tour – but still needs to curb his tendency towards ill-discipline and penalty-gathering. Ethan de Groot looks promising but was so little seen it was difficult to rate his progress.
Those not on this tour – like Alex Hodgman and Atu Moli – will have pricked up their ears; while there are young ball-playing props for whom this year's Super Rugby will also be important: Xavier Numia and Alex Fidow from the Hurricanes, plus the Crusaders' 144kg moving mountain Tamaiti Williams who may only be 21 but has obvious potential.
While most believe the right players are in the wider All Blacks squad, there may be changes in the top team, maybe more to do with power.
Caleb Clarke's return to the All Blacks will be a welcome one. Photo / Photosport
Can we, for example, afford to have both Sam Cane and Ardie Savea in the same pack? Excellent players both, particularly on the turnover front, but Savea's quiet game against Ireland reminded me of 2003 in Wellington when an England side, down to 13 players, robbed the All Blacks of their go-forward with stoic defence, often targeting Rodney So'oialo, a No. 8 of similar dimensions to Savea. The big England pack rag-dolled him at times.
Liam Squire is missed more than most realise – a big, fast No.6 whose tackling was near Jerome Kaino ferocity. We are still seeking the right man at 6 and, generally, players who can switch to the sort of hard-boiled, tactical rugby that Super Rugby isn't.
There is a need to get Hoskins Sotutu back to the hard-charging No. 8 who would take ball into (and through) contact as opposed to today's version – clearly asked to use his ball distribution skills more.
Perhaps the answer is to play Cane in the opening exchanges and bring Savea on at 7 from the bench, when the game is opening up and more likely to allow him to apply his full-throttle ball carrying.
In the midfield, Quinn Tupaea was one of the finds of the tour, his robust play and good decisions making his continued presence at 12 more likely. Caleb Clarke's return on the wing will provide a power option against teams applying a full-court press against the All Blacks – in which our existing wingers often struggled to make something happen.
The All Blacks have too often been out-muscled up front in recent years but they are not alone in having work to do. France fell to Scotland and Australia (twice) this season, for Pete's sake. The Scotland loss destroyed their Six Nations title hopes – proof they have work to do in coping with pressure, especially in a home World Cup.
South Africa lost five test matches – proving fallible at the death; they should have beaten the All Blacks in their first clash and should have beaten England last month. Eben Etzebeth's eye-catching run at the end should have won the match for the Boks – but came to nothing when the over-excited South Africans let England off the hook, losing their discipline.
England looked more dangerous in the backs than South Africa but were outplayed up front in the second half; they lost to Scotland, Wales and Ireland this year.
The All Blacks, very clearly, aren't out of it yet and their preparation for the World Cup could start by fronting up to the front row.
