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Why Shaun Stevenson initially missed out on the All Blacks’ squad
By Finn Morton
To the surprise of many rugby fans in New Zealand, Chiefs flyer Shaun Stevenson was a shock omission from the All Blacks’ initial 36-player squad for the Rugby Championship.
Stevenson has been nothing short of sensational for the Chiefs this season, and has widely been considered a likely bolter ahead of this year’s Rugby World Cup.
But, despite scoring 11 tries in 17 games this season for the Chiefs, Stevenson was overlooked for the All Blacks’ first squad of 2023.
Teammate Emoni Narawa was selected as one of the All Blacks’ outside backs, and is also one of five uncapped players in the squad.
Chiefs flanker Samipeni Finau was also selected, along with Crusaders duo Tamaiti Williams and Dallas McLeod, and also Hurricanes halfback Cam Roigard.
But Stevenson has been called into the team as injury cover for winger Mark Telea, and coach Ian Foster hinted that the 26-year-old may play a role in “those first two Tests.”
“He’s find out when he comes in,” Foster told Sky Sport. “We’ve got pretty specific job requirements on both sides of the ball.
“On the attack side, he’s proven to be outstanding. He should be very proud of his year.
“We’ve seen a massive improvement in the defensive structural stuff – the tackle and the contact work – but we still want to see a bit more in that space.
“The fact he’s going to come in and be with us, maybe for those first two Tests, is a great opportunity to get a good read of that.”
The All Blacks begin their Rugby Championship campaign against Los Pumas in Argentina next month, before returning to New Zealand to face the Springboks in Auckland.
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Latest Comments
Can’t wait. Hard to call even with Munster being away. La Rochelle have been so off the boil recently.
Go to commentsPep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca. The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.
His time with City - a lower win ratio compared to Bayern Munich as you say - includes a 100 PT season. A feat that will likely never be surpassed. I appreciate you don’t follow soccer too closely but even casual fans refer to the sport in ‘pre and post Pep’ terms and all because of what he has achieved and is continuing to achieve, late career. There is a reason that even U10’s play out from the back now at every level of the game. That’s also a fairly recent development.
How refreshing to return to rugby on a rugby forum.
Ireland won a long over due slam in 2009. The last embers of a golden generation was kicked on by a handful of young new players and a new senior coach. Kiss was brought in as defence coach and was the reason they won it. They’d the best defence in the game at the time. He all but invented the choke tackle. Fittingly they backed it up in the next world cup in their 2011 pool match against… Australia. The instantly iconic image of Will Genia getting rag-dolled by Stephen Ferris.
His career since has even included director of rugby positions. He would have an extremely good idea of where the game is at and where it is going in addition to governance experience and dealings. Not least in Oz were many of the players will have come via or across Rugby League pathways.
Gatland isn’t a valid coach to compare too. He only ever over-achieved and was barely schools level without Shaun Edwards at club or test level. His return to Wales simply exposed his limitations and a chaotic union. It wasn’t age.
Schmidt is open to staying involved in a remote capacity which I think deserves more attention. It would be a brain drain to lose him. He stepped in to coach the ABs in the first 2022 test against Ireland when Foster was laid out with Covid. They mullered Ireland 42-19. He was still heavily involved in the RWC 2023 quarter final. Same story.
Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.
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