New Zealand hunt for true identity in Rugby Championship

Straits Times

3 days ago

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FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup 2023 - Semi Final - Argentina v New Zealand - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France - October 20, 2023 New Zealand team huddle before the match REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/File Photo
An evolving New Zealand squad will be under pressure to challenge South Africa for Rugby Championship silverware amid growing impatience with progress under Scott Robertson.
After dominating the southern hemisphere tournament from 2021-23, the All Blacks surrendered last year's title to the Springboks in Robertson's first season in charge.
Two losses to South Africa and a home defeat by Argentina showed the New Zealanders struggling to move on from a post-World Cup exodus of senior players.
The All Blacks have since won seven out of eight tests, including a 3-0 whitewash in the home series against a depleted France in July.
However, home media remain sceptical about their regeneration mid-way through the World Cup cycle.
"I think it's a team that's really trying to find our identity this year," prop Fletcher Newell told New Zealand media in Cordoba.
"I feel like we showed glimpses of it against France but we want to build on those areas.
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"We want to play fast and to be really strong in our set piece, and pride ourselves in those areas."
The All Blacks may be glad to start their Rugby Championship campaign with a two-test tour of Argentina where they have never been beaten by the hosts -- despite losing to them at home and in Australia in recent years.
They will hope to build momentum before a pair of all-important home tests against Rassie Erasmus's Springboks in Auckland and Wellington next month.
While Erasmus is eager to build depth to reinforce an ageing Springboks squad before their World Cup title defence, Robertson has tinkered at the edges of his roster while keeping the core intact.
He unveiled a couple of tactical shifts against the French, shifting centre Rieko Ioane to the wing to make way for Billy Proctor while moving Tupou Vaa'i, who played mostly as a lock, to blindside flanker.
But after cycling through his entire squad of fit players against France, Robertson included only one uncapped player in his 36-man Rugby Championship squad -- the big and bulky loose forward Simon Parker.
To the chagrin of some rugby pundits at home, Robertson will again be relying on familiar names and veterans, like hooker Codie Taylor and flyhalf Beauden Barrett, who will be 36 during the World Cup.
The squad is laden with injured players who will miss a test or two at the start, including loose forward Wallace Sititi, prop Tamaiti Williams and scrumhalf Cameron Roigard.
Robertson will hope his squad can avoid further damage on tour against Argentina before the looming showdown with the Springboks. REUTERS