All Blacks selection on Super Rugby form: Rennie’s standout XV and bolters – Paul Lewis

As round eight was the halfway point in the Super Rugby Pacific round robin, it’s worth considering what an All Blacks team based on form over those first eight rounds might look like.

New coach Dave Rennie has committed to selecting his first squad on Super Rugby form rather than past reputations – although, like every All Blacks coach, he will have a favourite player or three suited to the game plan he wants to employ and who form the base of the team.

So here is our thinking on an All Blacks team selected on form to this point. Not considered are a large number of players injured or little seen thus far; those playing overseas or heading overseas and thus ineligible for the All Blacks.

Injured: Wallace Sititi, Tamaiti Williams, Patrick Tuipulotu, Fabian Holland, Ethan Blackadder, Tyrel Lomax, Stephen Perofeta. Playing overseas or on sabbatical: Scott Barrett, Ardie Savea, Richie Mo’unga, Shannon Frizell, Anton Lienert-Brown. Heading overseas: Dalton Papali’i, Fehi Fineanganofo, Sevu Reece, Braydon Ennor, Hoskins Sotutu, A.J. Lam, Dallas McLeod.

There are some whose All Blacks days are done but a lot of senior players/leaders in that lot. There are two new All Blacks named in our Form XV as a result, plus one major omission:

Starting team:

Hooker: Samisoni Taukei’aho (Chiefs)

Props: Fletcher Newell (Crusaders), Ethan de Groot (Highlanders)

Locks: Tupou Vaa’i (Chiefs), Sam Darry (Blues)

Flankers: *Devan Flanders (Hurricanes), Du’Plessis Kirifi (Hurricanes)

No 8: Peter Lakai (Hurricanes)

Halfback: Cameron Roigard (Hurricanes)

First five: Beauden Barrett (Blues)

Midfield: Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes), Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs)

Wings: Caleb Clarke (Blues), *Caleb Tangitau (Highlanders)

Fullback: Will Jordan (Crusaders)

Bench: Forwards: Codie Taylor (Crusaders), George Bower (Crusaders), Pasilio Tosi (Hurricanes), Josh Lord (Chiefs), Simon Parker (Chiefs). Backs: Noah Hotham (Crusaders), Ruben Love (Hurricanes), Leicester Fainga’anuku (Crusaders).

Flanders and Tangitau are the “new All Blacks”, while Love is preferred to Damian McKenzie – not yet at his brilliant best and out with a head knock in round eight. There is plenty of room for change later and some may prefer different use of resources, like Jordie Barrett at fullback, Jordan on the wing instead of Tangitau, and Tupaea at second five instead of centre, with Billy Proctor or Fainga’anuku at No 13.

Finally ... Finau

Other players, however, are just starting to issue challenges. One of the enduring mysteries of this season has been the quiet form of All Blacks blindside flanker Samipeni Finau. The incumbent before Simon Parker took his spot, Finau has been little seen for the Chiefs and, when he has taken the field, has been relatively muted.

Against the Waratahs, the real Finau turned up with a powerful performance: clean breaks, thundering tackles, a try and some useful lineout work, the kind of thing everyone wants from an All Blacks No 6.

He doesn‘t make the squad above but more of this kind of form, particularly against stronger sides, and he will become even more of a contender for a position the All Blacks still haven’t satisfactorily filled since Jerome Kaino and Liam Squire.

In the past, Finau has puzzlingly faded out of some games and still has some rough edges – he has attracted more penalties than desirable in the past and his link play needs some polishing. In one instance, he kicked when a pass was the better option, and another fine break was stymied when his one-handed pass went behind the receiver. Still, his highly physical display against the Waratahs in the 42-14 win had more than a touch of Jerry Collins about it.

Parker made an impact when coming off the bench, enough to secure a spot on the Form XV at the halfway point of this competition but behind the form No 6, the Canes’ Devan Flanders.

Squad skills

Versatility can be key to making an All Blacks squad – with wing Leroy Carter displaying his adaptability at centre for a Chiefs side with midfield injury problems. Chay Fihaki was on the wing for the Crusaders in their 69-26 romp over the Fijian Drua and is also a skilled fullback and long-range goalkicker.

Neither has made the Form XV above but both will be in the hunt for Dave Rennie’s squad for the July tests. Carter had a so-so game in his first outing at centre but was forceful last weekend, sapping the Waratahs’ defensive strength with 12 carries, second only to hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho. Fihaki scored two tries but made two or three errors, one leading to a try to Manasa Mataele for the Drua.

Fainga’anuku fires up

However, our choice for the squad – as dedicated impact player from the bench – is the Crusaders’ Leicester Fainga’anuku, who can play second five, centre, wing and, at a pinch, loose forward.

He may not nudge out probably the player of the series so far – the Chiefs’ Quinn Tupaea – but his match against the Drua was Fainga’anuku’s best in the midfield so far. He ran with his trademark power and displayed distribution skills previously unseen. One bridge pass delivered Codie Taylor’s fourth try on a plate while a beautifully delicate left-foot kick-pass laid on Sevu Reece’s second try.

One to watch

Chiefs and All Blacks loosehead prop Ollie Norris has had little game time so far but showed out well against the Waratahs. The scrum, with Taukei’aho and 50-game tighthead Reuben O’Neill also in the front row, monstered the Waratahs in the first half. Norris is highly mobile and a good ball-player. He could yet come into calculations; New Zealand’s prop stocks are not exactly overflowing right now.