Hoskins Sotutu’s absence from the first All Blacks squad – and the reasons given – may signal arather different approach to the coming tests against England than many anticipate.
Most had Sotutu in the starting XV so Ardie Savea could shift to openside. Neither is happening now – but Scott Robertson’s explanation was revealing. He instanced skill “on both sides of the ball” and mental strength, areas in which the selectors clearly think Sotutu may be lacking.
That partly explains Wallace Sititi’s appearance in the squad, though his terrific rookie season demanded it. It totally explains Luke Jacobson’s selection – the gritty Chiefs skipper majors in defence and turnover ball (even though there may be some questions over discipline after two cards in two successive Super Rugby finals).
Yet the big Blues No 8 had such a stellar season, topping Super Rugby Pacific’s try-scoring charts, running punishingly and showcasing his distribution skills, that he would have been one of the first names on the squad sheet in the past. He belongs to the recent era of All Blacks rugby that embraced defence but preferred the unspoken philosophy: “You score three tries; we’ll score four”.
Times have changed. Robertson has little time to prepare for one of the better sides on the planet. Defeat in this series would be a disaster in an international season full of tough opponents. Robertson is supposed to heal an era in which many feel the previously daunting mystique of the All Blacks had large holes ripped in it.
In the last four-year cycle, for whatever reasons, the All Blacks had to stomach a maiden loss to Argentina, a maiden home loss to Argentina, a maiden home loss to Ireland, a maiden series loss to Ireland, a record loss to South Africa and Ian Foster became the first All Blacks coach to lose to five different nations. They lost a World Cup pool game for the first time (to France) and then that devastating loss in a final they could have – should have – won despite Sam Cane’s red card.
That demands change – and it seems logical Robertson will try to imbue his All Blacks with the same super-efficient, die-hard, winning culture that typified his Crusaders teams. Defence was a priority as was set-piece effectiveness; they had the All-Blacks-like ability to turn up the heat (and often score) either side of halftime.
Hoskins Sotutu has been overlooked by Scott Robertson. Photo / Getty Images
They were often not the most expansive team – remember the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific final against the Chiefs? They essentially suffocated them until the Chiefs broke the hold and led about an hour in. The Crusaders scored through Richie Mo’unga in one ruthless raid stemming from a lineout maul. Two other mauls led to tries to hooker Codie Taylor – and, though the Chiefs had scored the prettier tries, the Crusaders’ resolve and reliance on their stubborn defence won out.
The assumption Sotutu doesn’t quite meet defensive requirements might have been garnered by Robertson in his Crusaders’ days – the No 8 was one of those who went missing when the Crusaders undid the Blues in the 2022 Super final, for example.
Ironically, the style to be played may also stem from lessons learned from the Blues’ forwards-based driving and mauling this year – including the ploy of wingers as extra loose forwards. Mark Telea, Caleb Clarke and Sevu Reece all demonstrated the power of an extra man, not in the backline, but in forward drives. The Blues’ defence also set the stage for telling counter-attacks, just as the Crusaders had in the seven preceding years.
It’s a long way from the expansive style All Blacks players and fans prefer. Needs must, however, and modern rugby is more crowded, restrictive and heavily policed than in the past.
It’s a moot point whether the loss of All Blacks intellectual property, as instanced in a recent Gregor Paul article, has played a big role in recent All Black defeats. It’s more likely Kiwi coaches heading overseas have dispersed much of that IP (Joe Schmidt, John Mitchell, Dave Rennie, Jamie Joseph and Tony Brown working with the Springboks, to name just a few).
Other teams have caught up in terms of defence, culture, consistency, coaching techniques and, yes, mindset as the “invincible aura” of the All Blacks faded from red-hot to a bit pink.
If the All Blacks do change mode, it is not without risk. England are a big side, apparently seeking to play more expansively in this four-year cycle with younger players who do not have roots in England’s recent, muddled past. While a defence-counter-pressure approach might be the best way to snuff that out, the All Blacks do not have a huge pack from the second row back, though all look selected for that quickfire picking, driving and link play.
Whatever Robertson and his assistants decide in this series, they will want to re-establish that All Blacks mystique; the ability to lodge a worm of doubt in the minds of opponents. Winning consistently will grow that worm into an eel.
If there is to be a loss, they’ll want it to incorporate the kind of pigheaded effort that led the legendary coach of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers, Vince Lombardi, to say after his team fell to an opponent: “We didn’t lose the game; we just ran out of time.”
