Year in Review: The Top 10 Questions on New Zealand Rugby in 2018, Answered

As the season draws to a close, rugby journalists Patrick McKendry, Liam Napier and Wynne Gray tackle ten key questions.

1. Who was the big winner of the All Blacks in 2018?

Patrick McKendry:

Ardie Savea. The # 7 has been exceptional as a substitute for Sam Cane this year and has proven that it could be a real option as Test # 8 with an amazing performance against Argentina. Solid and good defender, Savea was one of the best to allow the All Blacks to take advantage, despite the defensive claustrophobic atmosphere in London and Dublin. He was also one of the main reasons why the All Blacks beat the Boks in Pretoria.

Liam Napier:
Karl Tu & # 39; inukuafe. A story so rare in the ranks of professional rugby. The occasional bouncer lost nearly 40kg to make his Super Rugby debut for the Chiefs, then deserved to be called back by the All Blacks thanks to his destructive scrummaging abilities. His work around the park was equally impressive – and he proudly sports a real slug. In a country where rugby futures are established as early as puberty, Tu & # 39; inukuafe is unique.

Wynne Gray:

Brett Cameron who is an All Black after nine minutes against Japan, but in the main group, Jack Goodhue overcame an injury. The glandular fever shows that his skills and temperament are ready for a long run in the center. Since the last RWC, Malakai Fekitoa, Sonny Bill Williams, George Moala, Ryan Crotty and Anton Lienert-Brown have been judged, but Goodhue with A L-B seems to be the best choice.

2. Who was the biggest loser?
McKendry:
Waisake Naholo has virtually gone from his name next to the No. 14 jersey to be completely absent even though he's not mistaken. It seems that the coaches of the All Blacks want more baseball players with a better aerial game. That is why Ben Smith and Jordie Barrett appeared there against England, Ireland and Italy. But as a power runner, there is little better in the game than the Highlanders wing.

Napier:
Waisake Naholo. Arguments could be advanced for Sonny Bill Williams or Liam Squire, but the All Blacks are more likely to remain confident in these two. Naholo's final prowess influenced the Highlanders and he had moments with the All Blacks early in the season. But his form and pace of work then declined and he fell out of favor during the Nordic tour. When the conditions are not difficult, fast and dry, it seems that the game of kicking Naholo, and perhaps under a high balloon, is problematic. In an extremely competitive field, he is now forced to keep his place.

Grey:
Akira Ioane lost all his chances looking for another striker. He had been part of the group many times but had fallen so far away from the favor that he could not count 52 people for the end of year tour. Jordan Taufua was the best of luck, but the crusaders missed the June series because of a tired leg, then a year-round tour because of a broken arm.

3. Why will we remember the 2018 All Blacks campaign?
McKendry:
The year in which the rest of the great nations finally caught up with the All Blacks. South Africa should have beaten them twice and England probably deserved to take it to Twickenham. Ireland deserved its victory in Dublin. Margins have always been relatively close, but now they are virtually non-existent. The big question is: can these improvements in the Boks and the Northern Hemisphere nations lead the All Blacks to a higher level for the World Cup?

Napier:

Given public expectations, it will be a defeat in Dublin, largely because Ireland finished the year at the top of the rankings, regardless of its rankings. To be content with the second best is not something the All Blacks are used to. This year also needs to be remembered for experimenting with many different combinations tested in the last three places, midfield, blindside and front row. Once again, the depth has increased and, although improvements need to be made, the lessons will be assimilated.

Grey:

The fights of the series disjointed with France, the difficulties against the Springboks and the difficult times of the end-of-year tour will be at the center of the concerns. There was an awkward current in their work and most questions were about looking for the correct background play combinations and style, with each post being the subject of careful scrutiny.

4. What was the biggest surprise of the 2018 rugby season?
McKendry:
The rebirth of the Springboks, and in particular their performances, made it possible to fill a significant deficit in Wellington and inflict a first home defeat at the All Blacks (by them) since 2009. It also seemed inevitable that the All Blacks cross the line. from finish to final. minutes, but in one way or another, the Boks handed them over. It was a remarkable effort.

Napier:
Fiji upsetting France in Paris. Maybe not the biggest surprise but certainly the most notable. France has long been subject to a strange mental crisis, but that should not hurt Fiji's first victory in Paris. Beaten 54-17 by Scotland at Murrayfield the previous week, it just shows what Fiji are capable of with more time together and an allusion to the threat that they could represent for the World Cup. This result also reflects the benefits of the local Drua team, which won the Australian provincial competition this season. Imagine how well Fiji could be performing with appropriate resources and a Super Rugby course. Index, index.

Grey:

Pick and stick with Damian McKenzie as defenseman in the big end-of-the-year tests with the Wallabies, England, Ireland and Italy, as it matches the latest theory of twin attack options in This choice shows how quickly ideas change on the game's tendencies, the players who fit these concepts and how the game can become more complicated than it should.

5. What is the state of health of Super Rugby?

McKendry:

Good for the Crusaders and maybe the rest of New Zealand (even the Blues after their recent coaching changes). But not much else with the exception of Lions in South Africa and Jaguars in Argentina. Australian franchises perform well, but this is not surprising given the chaotic nature of the sport. Unfortunately, the difference in quality between the teams is too great and, apart from the New Zealand derbies, there is little that fascinates us. The competition is not in very good health.

Napier:
At best, sick. Any form of expansion must now be removed from the table after the last crawl has been a total failure. New Zealand's interest is almost exclusively in Kiwis derbies, and much-maligned shifts have consistently eroded credibility. As the world's leading players have to be managed more than ever during the year of the World Cup, this once-captivating competition has serious challenges.

Grey:
He stays in the recovery room. The New Zealand derbies are compelling, but a regular change in format and ideas undermines its attractiveness, while the expansion in Argentina and Japan has attracted even greater interest. Who knows what the parties will propose for the 2020 season, but it would be nice to think that their vision matches that figure.

6. The biggest overreaction of 2018?
McKendry:
The apparent decline of All Blacks – from global drummers to others too. This is partly motivated by apprehension before the World Cup in New Zealand, but the All Blacks will still be Japan's favorites, and rightly so. They did not suddenly become a poor team.

Napier:
Defeat Ireland in Dublin. Calling the leaders of Kieran Read and Steve Hansen was rather ridiculous. Just when you thought we had passed the point where New Zealand lost all perspective, the panic appeared quickly and came back. Of course, the All Blacks have a lot to do, but the reaction was also disrespectful, up to a point, towards Ireland. Those who flew in the depths failed to recognize how heroic the effort was.

Grey:
Make your choice; Jordie Barrett has been relied on four times against Italy while a club player should have scored three or frenzied about the millionth idea of ​​a new stadium at the edge of Italy. In Auckland.

7. How does NZR prevent the best players from leaving the country?

McKendry:

Keep doing what they do. There is no exodus of payers who leave, despite some titles suggesting that. The lure of the black jersey remains as strong as ever. Players will always want to experience life abroad – but many others will want to stay and fight for a chance to represent or continue to represent the All Blacks.

Napier:
They can not. The export of New Zealand rugby talent will never stop. Competing on wages is just a daydream, especially for middle and marginal All Blacks who can, in some cases, triple their earnings. New Zealand, like all the neighbors to the south, will always lose its quality. Same thing with regard to coaches. Five Super Rugby positions are not enough to retain the richest pool of rugby mentors. With the players, the best hope is to be flexible and allow sabbaticals that bring players back to All Blacks and Super Rugby after short stays abroad. It also works for those who only skip the provincial season. Alternatively, others will leave for good. New Zealand, already well established on this path, must also become the country that best cares for the athletes by constantly managing the workload and helping to prolong the career.

Grey:
They do not do it, but the best ones do not leave until the time is up and they have another chance to win a World Cup. Malakai Fekitoa, Lima Sopoaga, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Steven Luatua, or Julian Savea and Jerome Kaino, who are not up to par, do not run the risk of enjoying life abroad. The NZ production line is strong enough to cover the outclasses of class acts like Aaron Cruden and Charlie Faumuina

8. When does Steve Hansen have to leave? And who should replace him?
McKendry:
Reading between the lines, it seems that Hansen is ready to quit after next year and this is probably the right time to leave because he did everything he wanted. His replacement is a more delicate issue and it probably comes down to Ian Foster or Joe Schmidt. I would be inclined to accept the latter because of what he did with Ireland, but it seems that he does not want work, or at least work as he does. is actually. Foster, then.

Napier:
After the World Cup seems logical, even if Hansen is not shy to make a surprise. At this point, he has competed in five World Cups and spent 15 years on the All Blacks coaching team. If he withdraws, I am of the opinion that the best management team should be approved. The head coach is certainly the most important piece, but it is not good to have a light crew around them. Strong individual candidates are obvious; who they have with them remains to be seen.

Grey:

Hansen should go there when he feels that it is better for him and his team. This seems to be after the 2019 World Cup, even if it goes against his earlier theory that coaches stay to assist the transition between tournaments. If he goes, we must see who is available. Joe Schmidt decided not to participate. We may be waiting for Ian Foster, Warren Gatland, Dave Rennie, Jamie Joseph, Tony Brown, Vern Cotter and Scott Robertson.

9. Your favorite rugby moment in 2018?

McKendry:

There have been a few: The Crusaders winning two consecutive titles with new coach Scott Robertson, the remarkable Karl Tu & # 39; inukuafe climb at the All Blacks and the pure joy experienced in Dublin with Irish history with a first win against the All Blacks on the floor of the house. Among all those, I should go with the achievements of Ireland.

Napier:

The atmosphere at Aviva Stadium was unlike anything I've ever seen – better than Ellis Park or Twickenham in full flight. One shoulder to the other sent shivers down his spine and the sound continued to come. The feverish crowd sang, cheered and mounted each room. Every soul was edifying.

Around the world at Levin Estate, David McErlean flew to steal the Lochore Cup at Wairarapa Bush. He gave Horowhenua-Kapiti their first trophy in 25 years, on the occasion of their 125th birthday. Also a nod to the Thames Swamp foxes – this year's real Cinderella story after toppling Wanganui and South Canterbury away from home to win the Meads Cup.

And the men's and women's seven gold-winning teams at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, including the Black Ferns' overtime triumph, also stand out.

Grey:

Watching the smile emerge from the mustache of the Karl Tu & # 39; inukaufe helicopter during his debut as a substitute, while he was leading the shunt in his first scrum to deserve a penalty at the All Blacks against France. His teammates doubled the joy of a player who was not part of Super Rugby three months earlier.

10. Your biggest rugby problem in 2018?
McKendry:
The shocking inconsistency of match officials regarding illegal shootings in the Northern Hemisphere last month and in particular the way Owen Farrell escaped punishment for his unarmed tackles against the Springboks and Wallabies at Twickenham . Each case was bad in isolation; Gather them and the tacit encouragement that Farrell and others have received to continue to tackle as this defies logic.

Napier:
Owen Farrell pulls it off with two shoulder loads. The first, which allowed England to sneak past the Springboks, deserved at least a penalty. The second, against the Wallabies last week, was even worse. Either there is an unwritten law according to which Farrell gets a free pass to Twickenham, or he has to have nude photos of someone else's hideaway. All we ask is consistency. These cases make scandalous the so-called World Rugby edict aimed at repressing illegal tackles.

Grey:
The lack of space in the game, compounded by the inability of match officials to monitor the offside lines.