Perfect storm

Returning veterans joining rookies. Others with points to prove as they contest starting spots. The All Blacks emerging from defeat to the Springboks; attempting to harness the emotion surrounding Sean Wainui’s death, and a weakened opposition. It could translate to the perfect storm for USA Rugby tomorrow.

First and foremost, the All Blacks venture to the United States capital was driven to boost New Zealand Rugby’s coffers by up to $4 million. With a crowd in excess of 50,000 expected at Fedex Field, home of the Washington NFL team in Maryland, that box should be ticked.

From a playing perspective, with the All Blacks naming a squad featuring Sam Cane, Dane Coles, Beauden Barrett and Anton Lienert-brown on the bench and a damaging loose forward trio, the USA could be left reeling.

All teams rise for the All Blacks but some blunt realities must be addressed when assessing USA Rugby.

In March last year, amid the global pandemic, the union filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy citing financial constraints. Eighteen months on they resumed training in June, and have played six matches since the 2019 World Cup – winning two home fixtures against Canada and Uruguay.

Two weeks ago Gary Gold’s USA lost 34-15 to Uruguay to blow that World Cup qualification route. USA dropped to 17th in the world, and must now win a home and away series against Chile next year to gain entry for the 2023 showpiece.

The team that confronts the All Blacks are missing six leading players who have returned to European clubs.

Compare that landscape to the well-rested All Blacks, who, despite not playing for three weeks embrace widespread individual and collective motivating factors, and a mismatch of epic proportions is in the offing.

It’s hard to believe this fixture will enhance the USA’S bid to host the 2027 or 2031 World Cups.

“We clearly go in as clear favourites but the quality of our game is important to us,” All Blacks coach Ian Foster said. “In many ways new combinations, time off, there’s plenty of excuses for a bit of rust so I guess we’ll expect a little bit of a settling in period but by the end of the game we need to make sure we’re nailing our performance.”

It has been a difficult week for many All Blacks, particularly those Chiefs and Crusaders players closely connected to the 25-year-old Wainui, who died in a car crash near Tauranga on Monday.

“The team has reacted to the news and it’s impacted on everyone when you lose a mate and someone who is close to a lot of these players,” Foster said.

We’re a small part of the rugby fraternity that’s all hurting but being away from home has impacted a lot on the players so getting them together and allowing them to go through a process has been key.”

Individually, the senior trio of Cane, Coles and Whitelock, who regains the captaincy for the remainder of the tour, will be intent on stamping their mark after missing the Rugby Championship.

Blues openside Dalton Papalii, following his six-week layoff with a hamstring injury, falls into a similar category, as does playmaker Richie Mo’unga after remaining at home for the birth of his second child and only featuring in the final 15 minutes of the loss to the Boks in the past two months.

“He would have learnt some lessons coming off the bench in that game. I expect him to be Richie. He hasn’t lost any fitness, he’s trained well.”

Nerves will be bubbling within 20-year-old Taranaki and Chiefs lock Josh Lord ahead of his debut off the bench. Likewise, Highlanders prop Ethan de Groot, the only squad member not to see game time during the Rugby Championship due to a nagging neck injury, Crusaders centre Braydon Ennor and Blues halfback Finlay Christie, all of whom are set for their maiden test starts.

“He’s a confident young man,” Foster said. “Clearly it will be an exciting time for him when he pulls on that black jersey and gets a chance to run out.”

George Bridge returns to the left wing where he will be keen to quash memories of his horror outing against the Boks when he shelled several high balls, one of which cost a try.

In matches such as these, where the scoreline inevitably blows out, the spectacle can lose shape as players become individualistic. With that in mind Foster is targeting specific improvements around the cleanout and reducing offside penalties.

“We’re combining what we need to do against USA and a couple of things we learnt about ourselves from South Africa to come up with some key focal points.”

By the end of the year this test is likely to hold little relevance in the context of the All Blacks season. It will serve an exercise to recondition returning leaders; expose rookies to the test arena and boost confidence.

The overriding question is just how ugly it could get.

All Blacks team: Damian Mckenzie, Will Jordan, Braydon Ennor, Quinn Tupaea, George Bridge, Richie Mo’unga, Finlay Christie; Hoskins Sotutu, Dalton Papalii, Luke Jacobson, Tupou Vaa’i, Sam Whitelock (captain), Angus Ta’avao, Asafo Aumua, Ethan de Groot.

Reserves: Dane Coles, George Bower, Tyrel Lomax, Josh Lord, Sam Cane, T.J. Perenara, Beauden Barrett, Anton Lienert-brown.