Despite the post-Rugby World Cup exodus, New Zealand rugby still boasts depth and quality in most positions, barring one…
Former Manu Samoa No 10 and freelance rugby scribe Campbell Burnes runs the rule over possible candidates for the All Blacks No 8 berth.
The early favourite to replace the departed Kieran Read would appear to be Ardie Savea.
There’s just one problem. He’s not playing just now as he rehabs his knee injury. New Zealand’s reigning player of the year will be back on deck hopefully by the end of April or the start of May (God willing!). But he could just as easily wear the All Blacks’ No 7 or 6 jerseys when Wales and Scotland tour in July.
By the time you read this, the Blues’ Akira Ioane may have left behind his mental health issue and put his hand up high enough for Ian Foster to take notice. He has put together some compelling Super Rugby work in the last 2-3 seasons, but his second half of 2019 witnessed the sad decline of a powerful athlete as he struggled with yet another rejection by the All Blacks. If he is fit and firing, it would be foolhardy in the extreme to ignore Ioane’s claims, as he is one of the few specialist No 8 options.
The Chiefs have men of the ilk of Sam Cane and Luke Jacobson who can don the No 8 jersey, but Cane is best in his preferred position at openside, while Jacobson, at the time of writing, was still battling his concussion symptoms.
Other than Ioane, the next realistic option would be Gareth Evans of the Hurricanes. He’s already tasted All Blacks test rugby, in 2018, and his brother Bryn was a (lucky) All Blacks lock more than a decade ago. Evans is versatile, multi-skilled, tough and rarely plays a bad game. A big Super Rugby campaign would see Evans zoom right back into contention for the black jersey. He’ll have the likes of Du’Plessis Kirifi, Reed Prinsep and Vaea Fifita alongside him in an under-rated Hurricanes pack.
Fifita has been mentioned in dispatches as a No 8 possibility, but he has been shunted from pillar to post and needs to advance his case at No 6.
The Crusaders have lost a world-class loose trio of Read, the admirable Matt Todd and the incredibly unlucky Jordan Taufua. The senior man in their 2020 loose forwards is Whetu Douglas. He may be just short of international class, but is a smart man, a proven leader and an effective lineout operator. His elevation would be some story, but is unlikely.
The Highlanders have lost the likes of Luke Whitelock and Elliot Dixon, exposing their lack of experience in the loose. No one stands out as a No 8 candidate for higher honours in 2020, though Teariki Ben-Nicholas is one to watch for future years. Shannon Frizell could do a job at No 8 for the southerners, but doesn’t appeal as an All Black in that position.
It is clear that No 8 remains a problematic position in New Zealand rugby. There is a lack of depth compared to most other positions. But if Savea can hit the high notes early enough after his return, then he should be in pole position followed by Ioane (fingers crossed) and Evans.