With the All Blacks seeming to be unbeatable at the moment, they now have a very good chance (all be it all the while quite difficult) to take their game to the next level and put a very convincing score on the board.
However, it is also a very good time for some players who have probably had a slowish start to the inaugural Investic Rugby Championship to really take their game to the next level and prove to the coaches and the New Zealand public (who effectively work as a second selection panel with this team) that they truly deserve to be pulling on that black jersey.
The Midfield:
With Sonny Bill shooting offshore earlier on, Ma'a Nonu has had the best chance possible to prove himself as the number one choice second-five. While he hasn't been woeful by any stretch of the imagination, he is yet to display the form which saw him ranked in the top 3 second-fives in the world at the end of last years world cup. His peering with Conrad Smith, who is without a doubt one of the best centres in the world, can be increadibly deadly and unstoppable when they really hit their straps.
Smith is certainly 'the rock' in the All Blacks backline in terms of defense, but I would love to see him use that famous dummy of his and back himself more on attack. He has some of the best outsides in the world outside him so if he should make a break, even a half break, he has plenty of options to offload to with the likes of Dagg and Jane outside him, or the in ball back inside to Nonu.
If these two can show that attacking flare against Los Pumas on Sunday then I think we can expect a somewhat more attacking game plan from the AB's, especially given the return of Dan Carter to the number 10 jersey.
Sam Whitelock:
The last time the All Blacks met Argentina in Wellington, Sam Whitelock was dropped to the bench in place of Brodie Retallick. However he did redeem himself the following week under the roof in Dunedin, but I would like to see Whitelock really step up and take ownership of that All Black lineout. At just 23 years old, he has got plenty of time left in the black jersey and has the potential to go down alongside Brad Thorne as one of our greatest ever. In order to do that however, he must firstly improve his work rate around the paddock. He needs to be hitting rucks more consistently, and actually have an impact at the breakdown. Shifting bodies at the breakdown is crucial to gaining quick ball for Carter and the backline, and Whitelock can be more effective in that area by lowering that body position and clearing out the immediate threats to the ball. I would also like to see him carrying the ball around the field a lot more, and take the ball into contact to relay it back for the backs. Ball carrying has been an effective part of other lock Luke Romano's game so far this year, and i think if Whitelock can replicate the work that his older but less experienced counterpart has displayed so far, he will further establish himself as the number one lock in the country.
Sam Cane:
Not that Sam Cane has really had much of a chance so far this year, but when he has pulled on the black jersey he has been hugely impressive! He now has a very good chance to cement his spot as Richie McCaw's backup in the side, and with McCaw opting to take a 6 month sabbatical at the start of next year Cane must look at Sunday's game as his chance to tell Steve Hansen that he's the man to wear the No.7 jersey next year. He doesn't actually need to change much about his game, he just needs to continue to make those tackles around the fringes (100% rate would be good actually Samuel) and become a real threat at the breakdown. It's unlikely that Cane will get much game time, but when or if he does get on it is even more unlikely that it will be a straight replacement at 7 for McCaw. So that will most likely see him on the blindside of the scrum. Although not Cane's preferred position, he can still be incredibly effective at 6 and he will use this as another opportunity to learn from those around him and really put his hand up for more game time with the All Blacks this year.
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