Paul Lewis: The duo that can be locked in for Dave Rennie’s first test and 4 for the future

THE FACTS

It seems highly likely now, barring injuries, that Dave Rennie’s first All Blacks team will contain Quinn Tupaea at centre with Jordie Barrett at 12 after virtuoso performances by both at the weekend.

The previous All Blacks coaching regime tried Tupaea at 13 fleetingly last year, only to halt the experiment for squad rotation. In his 24 tests (split 50/50 between starting and coming off the bench), Tupaea has started 10 tests at second five-eighths and two at centre – the first a resounding success where he scored two tries in four minutes in Perth against the Wallabies and ran strongly all day.

He was at centre for the tough win over Ireland at Soldier Field, Chicago where, although quieter, Tupaea produced a key turnover that led directly to Wallace Sititi’s decisive try in the 28-14 victory. He was then posted back to second five-eighths against Scotland (with Leicester Fainga’anuku at centre) and omitted altogether for the unsatisfactory win over Wales.

Both Barrett and Tupaea are simply playing too well to ignore. All season, Barrett has been the Hurricanes’ director, key distributor and a prominent carrier – and was again against the Blues. Tupaea scored two tries and had a leading hand in two more as the Chiefs sprinted out to a 26-0 lead after 30 minutes in their 62-17 win over Moana Pasifika. He was taken off early in the second half to manage his minutes but – admittedly against the leakiest defence in the competition – led the carries, defenders beaten and clean break stats with Liam Coombes-Fabling; a compelling display.

Other contenders at 13 are Fainga’anuku and Billy Proctor, who scored a try and distributed well in the Canes’ 42-19 dispatch of a young Blues team but has not yet impressed at test level.

Fainga’anuku was largely contained as the Reds upset the Crusaders in Brisbane, not yet recapturing his powerhouse form of last year after his return from Europe. His ability to beat defenders is unquestionable but he seems best suited to a bench/impact role, emphasising his hybrid credentials by playing the last quarter at No 8 against the Reds, replacing Christian Lio-Willie.

The power of pace

It sounds odd to say that a player scoring two tries against the Reds did himself a disservice and Chay Fihaki, the Crusaders winger/fullback/long-range goalkicker, has been solidly putting himself into the national team conversation for the past two to three years. However, he was exposed a couple of times in the Reds’ 31-26 win.

Fihaki had two simple try-scoring finishes but was caught for pace twice – once when Reds first five-eighths Carter Gordon outsprinted him to score from a kick and when Reds wing Tim Ryan ran round him. Selectors notice things like that and, with Caleb Clarke, Leroy Carter and Caleb Tangitau main contenders at wing, it is difficult to see Fihaki moving ahead of them.

Add to that list Kyren Taumoefolau, the 22-year-old wing who has made the Chiefs’ starting line-up in the absence of Emoni Narawa and Etene Nanai-Seturo. He has scored four tries in his last two outings against the Waratahs and Moana Pasifika and impressed this weekend with a high work rate and involvement.

He is eligible for the All Blacks in October this year but might find it difficult to supplant the leading three wings. However, injuries are not unknown in rugby and, on the evidence of last week, he may already have moved ahead of Fihaki.

Four for the future

Four others from the weekend to watch, though maybe not for this World Cup cycle, are:

– Chiefs 23-year-old lock Fiti Sa: a genuine 2m, 125kg lock who showed in a brief outing that he has athleticism and ball skills.

– Johnny Lee: the 22-year-old Crusaders flanker made an immediate impact off the bench while many of his teammates struggled in an off-night against the Reds, clearly missing Will Jordan and Tamaiti Williams.

– Another 22-year-old, Malachi Wrampling-Alec, was one of the few Blues to enhance his reputation against the Hurricanes. He carries strongly and tackles hard at No 8.

– Jamie Hannah: the 23-year-old Crusaders lock will find it hard to oust the likes of Tupou Vaa’i, Scott Barrett, Fabian Holland, Sam Darry and Josh Lord but this 1.97m, 115kg lock has a great motor; a prospect for the future.

Paul Lewis writes about rugby, cricket, league, football, yachting, golf, the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.