Aisle be Back: All Blacks v Argentina

• By Kevin McCarthy

Inevitably he first All Blacks team of the year has been described as having surprises

But does it? Damian McKenzie at first-five hardly shocks, when Richie Mo’unga is the clear first choice and Beauden Barrett is coming off a poor season.

It would have been a bigger surprise if DMAC had  been limited to the bench – given that he now has to get some serious kays on the clock at international level to ease jitters around depth for the All Blacks.

Injuries, concussion worries, and keeping powder dry for South Africa a week later in Auckland all ringfence in the other options.

However, within that this will obviously be a huge game for Emoni Narawa, debuting after a stellar super season – and for lock Josh Lord. With the twilight of the Gods imminent, it’s time for the second tier locks to really knock on the door. Argentina in Mendoza should be an excellent litmus test.

Broader, the question for me is what are these five games going to be about for the All Blacks?  Surely it is about getting some consistency going. Unsurprisingly last year, given the dramas off-field, saw some schizophrenic output. Occasionally good and very good, other times historically awful – capped off with the inexplicable tapering off at Twickenham.

Consistency should also mean sticking with most combinations in key areas where possible – the midfield, loose forwards, and the front row.

Can this team change the gears? The blitz them style has been the default for the All Blacks for at least a couple of decades and served them well. But the top teams have that worked out now and are fully capable of applying their own blowtorches.

The trick will be for the All Blacks to roll with the punches defensively, take their chances clinically, and not switch off. It’s not something the current iteration have excelled at, but then this team by world cup time – by and large  – will have been through close to a dozen matches. That includes coach Foster and his deputies.

The Foster factor of the past three and a bit year will not be there. Every game will not be dissected by the sword of Robertson hanging overhead. That, thankfully, fell this year

Ian Foster should be glad. As they say, you’ve been given one job to do. A tall and tough one.

It would not be in character for him to make radical changes, even if the results pre World Cup are middling. After seasons where we’ve been told, occasionally ludicrously, that the plan is on track – then maybe, just for a few more games – we can trust that there is a plan, and that it is on track.

Destination unknown, of course.

Team to take on Argentina in Mendoza 🫡 pic.twitter.com/bihFPDrDIm

— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) July 6, 2023

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Don’t forget the NPC is starting to loom, to provide some distraction starting in August.

But before then, for the Lions, there are two Ranfurly Shield defences – against Horowhenua Kapiti and the South Canterbury.

The latter assumes that the Lions still have the shield after visiting the Levin  Domain on July the 12th.

I mean, what if there a new Carlos and a new Cully are lurking in wait?  Stranger things have happened. Actually, they did happen!

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The All Blacks XV is also in action this weekend.

The All Blacks XV team has been named to play Japan XV at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo on Saturday 8 July, kick-off at 5.00PM JST (8.00PM NZST).

The matchday 23 is as follows (Super Rugby Club, Province)

1. Xavier Numia (Hurricanes, Wellington)
2. Ricky Riccitelli (Blues, Taranaki)
3. Jermaine Ainsley (Highlanders, Otago)
4. Naitoa Ah Kuoi (Chiefs, Bay of Plenty)
5. Quinten Strange (Crusaders, Tasman)
6. Akira Ioane (Blues, Auckland)
7. Du’Plessis Kirifi (Hurricanes, Wellington)
8. Christian Lio-Willie (Crusaders, Otago)
9. Brad Weber – Co-Captain (Chiefs, Hawke’s Bay)
10. Stephen Perofeta (Blues, Taranaki)
11. Etene Nanai-Seturo (Chiefs, Counties Manukau)
12. Jack Goodhue (Crusaders, Northland)
13. Alex Nankivell (Chiefs, Tasman)
14. Bailyn Sullivan (Hurricanes, Waikato)
15. Ruben Love (Hurricanes, Wellington)
16. Tyrone Thompson (Chiefs, Hawke’s Bay)
17. Ollie Norris (Chiefs, Waikato)
18. Pouri Rakete-Stones (Hurricanes, Hawke’s Bay)
19. Cameron Suafoa (Blues, North Harbour)
20. Billy Harmon – Co-Captain (Highlanders, Canterbury)
21. Folau Fakatava (Highlanders, Hawke’s Bay)
22. Brett Cameron (Hurricanes, Manawatū)
23. Sam Gilbert (Highlanders, Otago)