As the All Blacks draw on past pain to fuel their present burning ambition, one selection headache hovers over their World Cup semifinal.
Mark Telea has served his punishment for breaking team curfew after being left out of the All Blacks’ rousing quarter-final victory against Ireland, with forwards coach and selector Jason Ryan confirming his availability this week.
“He’s injury free so he’s got to train well and do everything right,” Ryan said. “That’s well and truly behind us now. He’s handled that very well.”
Prior to his ill-timed indiscretion, Telea established his elusive presence as the All Blacks’ incumbent left wing since debuting on the test scene last November. That picture now appears complicated, though, following Leicester Fainga’anuku’s performance against Ireland.
Fainga’anuku has pushed Telea for the starting left edge role throughout this World Cup. That was the case against Ireland, too, with Fainga’anuku largely seizing his chance by claiming the opening try and injecting high involvement while competing well in the air. If there’s one area of concern it’s Fainga’anuku’s three missed tackles from 11 attempts.
Ryan confirmed the All Blacks have a fully fit squad for their semifinal against the Pumas on Saturday morning (NZT) but reinstating Telea would be harsh on the Toulon-bound Fainga’anuku.
“The opportunities Leicester has had in this World Cup he’s taken – as a lot of boys have,” Ryan said. “It just makes it that more satisfying for us selectors that we can have good, hard robust conversations to make sure we pick the right team.”
While minimal changes are expected from the All Blacks, memories of their semifinal defeat to England in 2019, and their two losses against the Pumas in the last three years, drive their quest to reach their first World Cup final since 2015.
Dane Coles recalls all too well the knot in his gut and swarm of emotions attached to slogging through the All Blacks’ playoff for third against Wales four years ago.
Every player starts the test week searching for fuel to spark the internal flame. At this juncture avoiding a repeat of 2019 rests heavy on Coles’ mind.
“I don’t want to be playing for a third and fourth game again like we did in 2019. That’s my motivation. It’s a shit week, if I’m being brutally honest, after being knocked out in a semi,” Coles said as the All Blacks prepared to shift accommodation in Paris to start their training week.
“Regardless of who you’re playing you’re in the semifinal of a World Cup if you don’t turn up, you’re in for a week that tests you mentally, physically, emotionally. I want to try to get another Monday. It’s not about who the opposition is, it’s about us getting to that ultimate goal of playing in a World Cup final. All our energy is into our semifinal.”
The All Blacks, after their courageous victory over Ireland, have lifted to second in the world and are near unbackable favourites with bookmakers to breeze past the Pumas, who are yet to feature in a World Cup final.
Coles, though, doesn’t have to reach deep into his 90 tests for painful memories against Argentina.
The veteran hooker started the 25-15 loss – the All Blacks’ first to the Pumas – in Sydney three years ago. And he watched from the stands as the All Blacks crumbled in the final quarter to suffer their maiden home defeat to Michael Cheika’s Pumas in Christchurch last year – two weeks after their memorable Ellis Park triumph.
“I’ve been in the team when we’ve lost to them in Aussie and lost to them in New Zealand. That caused the team a lot of hurt so I still have that fear. That fear drives you. It’s good to have that, acknowledge that, and let it energise you to get you to the place you need to be.
“We’ll take a lot of confidence from Ireland but we’ve got to go to another gear. We’ve all seen the World Cup with the different results and Argentina is going to be a different beast. We know when they’re in a good spot they turn up and they’re a physical team so it’s crucial we go again.”
One day after securing progression to the last four, watching defending champions South Africa end France’s home World Cup hopes in their gripping last quarter-final served yet another reminder of the cut-throat pressures this tournament increasingly imposes.
Ireland and France entered the World Cup the top-ranked nations and, therefore, favoured to claim their maiden crown. Both are now gone before the semifinals.
“That’s the reality of knockout rugby,” Ryan said. “It was like ‘wow’ nothing is guaranteed and here is a reminder. This team has been there before, and they were there last week with the first final and this week with our second final. You’ve got to get everything right.
“We’ve got a bit of confidence but by no means is there any arrogance with that.”
