JOE picked out three up and coming All-Blacks to watch in Graham Henry’s star-studded Tri-Nations squad.
Any hopes that Ireland had of making a statement of intent on the summer tour of the southern hemisphere were extinguished within minutes of the opening test against the All-Blacks in New Plymouth. Graham Henry’s side showed once more that they are the team to beat in World rugby, something they will hope to emphasise even further during the upcoming Tri-Nations.
We’ve all heard of the likes of Dan Carter, Joe Rokococo and Richie McCaw, but who are the new, up and coming All-Blacks that could well be setting the world alight by the time the Rugby World Cup begins next autumn? JOE picked out three players to keep an eye on.
Israel Dagg
New Zealand coach Graham Henry has gone with experience in naming his starting line up for the Tri-Nations opener against South Africa. In fact, with 671 caps between the 15 starters, it is the most experienced team in All-Black history according to media reports in New Zealand.
Such a selection policy means that full-back Israel Dagg loses out despite impressing hugely in his Test debut against Ireland and in the subsequent match against Wales in Dunedin. Dagg showed enough potential in both of those tests, particularly against Ireland, to suggest that he has the quality to succeed the likes of Christian Cullen and his replacement for the encounter with the Springboks, Mils Muliana, as an All-Black full back of real quality.
Dagg, who plays his rugby with the Highlanders in the Super 14, is lightning quick, runs excellent lines and is a very capable line-breaker. His potential was spotted from a long way off; he had the distinction of being picked for representative side Hawke’s Bay as a schoolboy, while he was also a talented cricketer in his youth, once setting a record for the fastest bowl in a secondary school competition with a speed of 143 km/h.
Aaron Cruden
As a New Zealand out-half, Cruden faces perhaps the most unenviable task in world rugby: competing for a starting berth with the great Dan Carter. It wouldn’t be the first major challenge Cruden has had to overcome, however.
At the ripe old age of 21, Cruden has already beaten the scourge of testicular cancer. He had a testicle removed and underwent gruelling chemotherapy, but it didn’t deter him from following a career in rugby. The talented fly half was last year awarded the IRB Young Player of the Year award after a series of outstanding performances in the Junior World Championships, in which Cruden captained his country to victory.
In winning the award, Cruden was following in the prestigious footsteps of fellow all-Blacks such as Luke McCallister, Jerome Kaino and Isaia Toeava. He plays his club rugby for the Hurricanes and despite his tender age, has already been feted for his vision and composure at fly half, where he is equally comfortable playing a running or kicking game. Cruden has featured as a replacement for Dan Carter in New Zealand’s last three tests, scoring his first All-Black try in the 29-10 defeat of Wales last month.
Victor Vito
There are not many rugby players out there that can also claim to be a high chief of their village, but New Zealand flanker Victor Vito, or Leaupepe Tele Victor Vito, can, having had the title bestowed on him by his grandfather in the Samoan village of Fasito’o Uta last month.
Vito grew up in Samoa but went to school in Wellington and had already made his mark at under-19 level (nominated for IRB under 19 player of the year, 2006), with the New Zealand sevens side and with the Hurricanes, before making his test debut for the All-Blacks as a replacement for Jerome Kaino against Ireland.
Like Dagg, Vito has missed out on selection for the Springbok test, but at 6’4 and 18 stone, he is a beast of a loose forward and is likely to make his mark in the future.
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