The Great Unknown

The All Blacks Have Built A Relatively Settled, Experienced Team Since The Last World Cup In 2015. But They Still Don’t Know Their Best Combination In One Critical Area Of The Field. Gregor Paul Reports.

Consistency has been the theme of All Blacks team selections since Steve Hansen took over after the 2011 World Cup.

He’s cleverly tinkered to build depth in various positions and ensure there is competition for places.

But for the last eight years the All Blacks have had a settled and experienced core around which their success has been built. So much of their side has been settled and as a result several good combinations have been built over the period.

There has been one significant exception to this since 2016. The midfield, has been an area of constant change and coming into this year, the All Blacks can’t say for sure that they know their preferred combination and if they do, it will be one they support more on a hunch as for the last three years they haven’t enjoyed selection consistency in that area.

This selection volatility is in stark contrast with the security the All Blacks had in both the 2011 and 2015 World Cup cycles with the long-standing Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith partnership.

Nonu and Smith set a world record when they signed off at the 2015 World Cup final for being the most experienced combination in history and the team’s attack thrived off their stability and understanding.

Ideally, the All Blacks wanted to rebuild a similarly mature and established combination post-2015 and arrive in Japan with a settled midfield and at least one reasonably proven alternative.

But it just hasn’t worked out like that. Injury has been the main problem. They have been cursed and none of their midfielders have been immune. Their bad luck began in the second test of 2016 when Malakai Fekitoa suffered a nasty head gash against Wales and was forced off after 20 minutes.

Sonny Bill Williams missed all of 2016 – first through his commitment to sevens then because he ripped his Achilles at the Olympics. Most of 2018 passed him by as well due to shoulder and knee injuries.