All Blacks vs Japan: The big questions hanging over Scott Robertson’s end-of-year tour squad - Editorial

All Blacks coach Scott Robertson faces big decisions over the next month. Photo / Photosport

EDITORIAL

Scott Robertson can give himself an easy mind over summer by resolving some key questions on the All Blacks end-of-year tour.

The challenges presented to Robertson by the All Blacks’ test against Japan this evening should be of the manageable variety.

The coach gets an opportunity to see how new talent can step up, with debuts for Ruben Love and Peter Lakai on the bench, and Billy Proctor and Stephen Perofeta getting the chance to further showcase their skills in the test ranks.

But Robertson will know the real measure of his side’s progress comes in the three weeks that follow, when the All Blacks face England, Ireland and France. Great All Blacks teams have built their reputations on tour – it is (and should be) a given that they are formidable at home.

By the end of this tour, he will hope that this evening’s No 8 – the go-ahead Chiefs loosie Wallace Sititi who has justified the faith of the selectors with his impactful performances in his debut black jersey season – has staked a long-term claim to a starting position. The best-case scenario would see Sititi push fan-favourite Ardie Savea into a flanker’s jersey. If Savea were re-converted to a No 7, the national crusade to find a replacement for Jerome Kaino could continue.

The biggest question hanging over this touring party will be which of the talented first five-eighths Robertson wants to settle into the No 10 jersey.

Tonight, Damian McKenzie will steer the side against an opponent that is likely to allow him some space to shine. Japan should not be taken lightly, but there’s no doubt about where November’s biggest threats lie. It’s most likely that Beauden Barrett will have the role the following week against England, in a match where space will be harder to find.

Both McKenzie and Barrett (and, in all likelihood, Stephen Perofeta) will have had a chance to run the side from first receiver in the big three games of this tour.

When they settle into sun-loungers at the end of the tour, the All Blacks selectors ought to have decided on their long-term vision for the No 10 jersey. Their summertime peace of mind (and that of sports fans throughout the country) could do without debates about McKenzie and Barrett. Make a decision; back your man; move on.

Auckland FC’s winning chance

The roaring success of last weekend’s opening Auckland FC match at Mt Smart Stadium served as a reminder of how great family-friendly kick-off times can be.

Auckland FC were victors on and off the field. Tickets to the match were sold out, and kids enjoyed themselves in the late sun of a glorious Auckland evening.

It’s unfortunate that with summer upon us the only major live international sports event in New Zealand this weekend is a league test match in Christchurch. While that most winter of sporting codes plays out with the Kiwis hosting the Kangaroos, our cricketers are at work offshore – both the Black Caps and the White Ferns are playing series in India.

Auckland FC have a unique chance to build a one-of-a-kind sports experience for young Kiwi fans. They must seize this opportunity.