Liam Napier: Missed opportunities in All Blacks northern tour squad

THREE KEY FACTS
Liam Napier has been a sports journalist since 2010, and his work has taken him to World Cups in rugby, netball and cricket, boxing world title fights and Commonwealth Games.
ANALYSIS
Conservatism continues from Scott Robertson’s All Blacks.
At near every turn this year, the All Blacks have favoured the safe selection option. With Cam Roigard’s recall the sole change from the Rugby Championship squad for the northern tour, that theme holds true.
Robertson clearly believes the All Blacks are not far away from clicking, and that continuity is the path to improving their 6-3 record this year.
The end-of-season tour is a traditional breeding ground for talent development. While three torrid tests against England, Ireland and France in 15 days is as tough an examination as the All Blacks will receive, outings either side of those against Japan and Italy offer the chance to experiment and develop the next generation.
Robertson is on record that his side must win first and develop second, but the decision to extend TJ Perenara and Sam Cane’s farewells will spark widespread conjecture.
Selecting Perenara and Cane before they depart to Japan maintains the notion that Robertson’s All Blacks will evolve and change only when there is little alternative.
Take Wallace Sititi. The dynamic Chiefs loose forward, playing out of position at blindside flanker, has been the find of the season for the All Blacks. Yet his elevation to start the second test against the Springboks in Cape Town only arrived following another injury setback for Ethan Blackadder.
Had Blackadder not been injured, Sititi could be a bench prospect at this point.
Since impressing in Cape Town, Sititi has since emerged as the shining light of the year. The 22-year-old is not alone, either, with youth largely leading the way for the New Zealand side.
From Sititi to Tupou Vaa’i, Cortez Ratima and Tamaiti Williams, the next-gen All Blacks have consistently stated their cases to repay faith.
The All Blacks have already missed opportunities to develop talented prospects this season. Hurricanes centre Billy Proctor, after starring on his test debut against Fiji, hasn’t been sighted since July.
At the end of the year, when the time comes to reflect on Robertson’s maiden season at the helm, one pressing question will be: how much has this All Blacks team truly evolved?
Sure, results are paramount. Demands and expectations on any All Blacks coach are unrelenting.
But by selecting Cane and Perenara, Robertson has backed himself into something of a corner, indicating that results are all that matter.
Experience is important in high-pressure tests. But come next year, what will the All Blacks have learned about their next in line and, indeed, their long-term future?
No matter which way you justify it, Cane’s selection reflects a lack of faith in the next openside flanker, whether that be Ardie Savea, Blackadder, Peter Lakai or Dalton Papali’i.
Cane’s leadership qualities, having been there, done that at Twickenham, Dublin and Paris, will be valuable within the test squad.
Yet his presence, with his looming departure the backdrop, ultimately delays progression by preventing the chance to groom 21-year-old Lakai and switch Savea to openside to allow Sititi to slot into his natural home of No 8.
Perenara’s inclusion is harder to grasp. While uncertainty surrounds the next All Blacks openside, Ratima and Roigard are the unquestioned future of the All Blacks halfback ranks. Why wait to hand them the reins?
Roigard, with two tries off the bench in his return for Counties Manukau last weekend, underlined his instinctive brilliance.
Off the field, Perenara and Cane will be asked to assume mentoring roles within the All Blacks but, once again, Robertson is definitively living in the now and trading heavily on experience.
The 29-man All Blacks XV squad, set to be released today, is something of a safety net that will allow the likes of 21-year-old halfback Noah Hotham the chance for game time against Munster and Georgia, alongside Tasman teammate Finlay Christie.
The same argument applies, though, that should injury strike, Perenara could easily be called into the All Blacks from the All Blacks XV, which would pave the way for investment in long-term gains.
Of the other contestable selections other than Harry Plummer and Josh Lord – two players used as injury cover during the Rugby Championship, dropping out for Stephen Perofeta and Sam Darry – Chiefs wing Emoni Narawa is the unluckiest omission.
Narawa played all of 20 minutes off the bench against Fiji in July before being cast aside for the Rugby Championship. He has since returned to form with Bay of Plenty to push his case for a recall.
Taranaki and Blues hooker Ricky Riccitelli is another unfortunate omission after Canterbury counterpart George Bell did not feature in the Rugby Championship – and as the worries for the All Blacks’ lineout throwing behind Codie Taylor persist.