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All Blacks call Crusaders utility into squad before Bledisloe II
By Finn Morton
Crusaders outside back Chay Fihaki has been called into All Blacks camp for the first time ahead of this weekend’s Bledisloe Cup Test in Wellington. Cam Roigard is also back with the squad as the halfback continues to chip away on his injury rehab.
On Monday, the All Blacks announced on social media that the pair had both entered the All Blacks’ inner sanctum. Roigard is not in the mix to play on Saturday evening at Sky Stadium, with the 23-year-old instead aiming for a return with Counties Manukau early next month.
Fihaki, 23, joins the squad as injury cover following a knee injury to midfielder Jordie Barrett. Barrett was replaced at half-time during last weekend’s 31-28 at Accor Stadium and the utility was later seen in a knee brace at Sydney’s International Airport on Sunday.
Crusaders flyer Fihaki debuted for the Christchurch-based Super Rugby outfit four years ago but really came of age during this year’s campaign. With the then defending champions ushering in a new era under coach Rob Penney, Fihaki started 12 of 14 appearances.
Fihaki was primary used as a fullback by coach Penney but he did make four consecutive starting appearances on the right wing to round out the season. The Crusader was rewarded for a breakout campaign after being included in the Barbarian’s squad to play Fiji.
With the Barbarians, Fihaki started at fullback and played for the entire 80 minutes. Fihaki kicked four conversions in the 45-32 win at London’s Twickenham Stadium – which has since been renamed to Allianz Stadium.
More recently, Fihaki has started all eight matches for Canterbury this season, which included a two-try performance in last weekend’s win over Counties Manukau. Fihaki has played the entire 80 in all but two of those matches for the Cantabrians this season.
In the All Blacks, Anton Lienert-Brown and David Havili would likely be considered the leading candidates to replace Barrett in the No. 12 jumper. Harry Plummer, who debuted in the Sydney Test, is another option for coach Scott Robertson.
The All Blacks have already wrapped up the Bledisloe Cup for another year with the three-point win over the Wallabies. But, fans will want to see another strong performance from the men in black in their final home Test of the year – heading off on their end-of-year tour shortly.
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This is what Chat GPT has to say about it, and I think it makes valid points:
Ireland has often been ranked as the number one team in the world, particularly ahead of major tournaments like the **2023 Rugby World Cup**, yet they’ve never made it beyond the quarter-finals in World Cup history. This has led to criticism of the **World Rugby ranking system** and questions about its fairness and accuracy.
### Key Issues with Ireland’s World Ranking:
1. **No Rugby World Cup Success**:
- Despite reaching the top of the rankings, Ireland has never made it to a World Cup semi-final. In 2023, after entering as the top-ranked team, they were knocked out by New Zealand in the quarter-finals once again. This contrasts with teams like **South Africa** and **New Zealand**, whose rankings often correlate with their World Cup victories.
- The World Cup is the pinnacle of rugby, and teams like **England**, **France**, and **Australia** have more World Cup success, yet Ireland’s ranking doesn’t reflect that.
2. **The Rugby World Rankings Formula**:
- **The current system** emphasizes results from regular-season matches, the **Six Nations**, and other international tournaments. Teams earn points for winning games regardless of the stakes, so teams like Ireland can rise to the top of the rankings due to consistent success in annual competitions like the **Six Nations**.
- While this system rewards consistency, it doesn’t necessarily account for the weight of **knockout tournament success**, like the Rugby World Cup, which is a different type of pressure and test of a team’s abilities.
3. **The Timing of Ranking Changes**:
- **World Rugby rankings** are dynamic, which means teams can peak in the rankings just before a major tournament, even if they haven’t proven themselves in that high-stakes environment. Ireland’s number-one ranking going into the 2023 World Cup is a perfect example, as they were in exceptional form throughout the **2022 and 2023 international seasons**, beating teams like South Africa and New Zealand in the lead-up.
- However, once they face the pressure of World Cup knockout rugby, they consistently fall short, which raises questions about the relevance of the rankings when it comes to measuring true championship pedigree.
4. **Flawed Reflection of Big-Match Performances**:
- Teams like **South Africa** and **New Zealand** tend to play their best rugby in high-pressure situations, which often comes down to **World Cup** knockout matches. Ireland, however, has struggled under similar circumstances, suggesting that regular season performance doesn’t necessarily translate to success when it matters most.
### Comparison with More Successful Teams:
- **South Africa** is the prime example of a team that may not always be ranked number one but has a proven ability to win **World Cups** (1995, 2007, 2019, 2023). They prioritize peaking at the right moments, even if it means losing a few games along the way in non-World Cup years.
- **New Zealand** is another team that has consistently been able to translate regular-season success into **World Cup** glory, especially during their 2011 and 2015 campaigns. They tend to hold higher rankings because their performances often carry through major tournaments.
### Flaws in the Rugby Ranking System:
1. **Not Weighted Towards World Cup Success**: The rankings formula places a similar value on every match, whether it’s a Six Nations game or a World Cup knockout match. There’s no extra weighting for **World Cup success**, which is arguably the most critical indicator of a team’s true strength.
2. **Short-Term Fluctuations**: The rankings can fluctuate heavily based on a few games in the lead-up to major tournaments, which often doesn’t account for long-term, sustained success in **high-pressure environments**.
3. **Match Importance Not Considered**: In a World Cup year, it’s often clear that teams like South Africa and New Zealand focus on peaking at the right moment. They may lose games in the build-up, but perform at a higher level during the World Cup. The rankings, however, don’t reflect this strategy.
### Conclusion:
While **Ireland**’s number one ranking reflects their **consistent form** in regular matches and tournaments like the Six Nations, it fails to capture their inability to perform at the highest level—**the Rugby World Cup**. Teams like **South Africa** and **New Zealand**, with their proven records in big tournaments, better represent what it means to be the top team in the world, regardless of their short-term rankings.
The World Rugby ranking system, while useful for tracking form, doesn’t adequately reward World Cup success or account for the fact that some teams excel when the stakes are highest. Because of this, Ireland’s top ranking, despite never reaching a World Cup semi-final, seems like a clear mismatch between **regular season form** and **championship pedigree**.
Go to commentsHope to see McReight tested by someone other than Cane at 7 in Wellington. Last Saturday was one of Sam's most ineffectual games, and the only reason he'll be there again is sentiment. If Razor has to give him his 100th in NZ, can it please be off the bench? Let's see Savea at 7, Sititi at 8 and Barrett at 6, which would give us 2 loosies on the bench, one impact (ideally Blackadder or Papali'i) and one same old same old (Cane). Barrett at 6 would also give us more grunt around the field and at the line-out, with Tuiplotu starting lock with either Vai'i or his Blues mate, Darry.
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