Interesting team, Barrett gets 10 because Shag and co had decided all 3 No 10s were going to get a start, Cruden not on bench as he doesn't cover enough positions apparently. Have to say I think it a ballsy decision to give everyone a crack on tour, and think it will well pay off at some stage. Although I would maybe have had Dagg at 15, can understand giving Piutau getting another run on the wing,and obviously Smith of the B variety is always going to start somewhere.
It was a good exercise for Shaggy to play his scrubbers against Scotland as he did with a lot of them in Chicago, but he wouldn't have been too happy with their performance, even taking this and that into consideration.
The Kiwi scrubbers didn't look much better than scrubbers from other teams and it's just as well Hansen got some of the "bench players" on to clinch the game.
The admirable grafter Thrush was one of the few exceptions and he is unlucky to be dropped for the Wales' game; but the tough and skilful Tuipulotu has to be the third lock.
Playing Barrett is fair enough, but he will want to make his mark in this game. If Carter comes good in Super Rugby next year, he and the second-best game manager, Cruden, will be the first-fives for the RWC and Barrett and Slade will contend for third spot/utility.
Hansen will look for Barrett to play a game with low risk, but still taking chances that are there, as he is too much on the edge sometimes by All Black standards (ignoring Carlos Spencer, or course).
Piutau is more than just getting another run. He showed a lot of scrapping ability at Murrayfield and worked hard off the ball. If he continues to perform like that the All Blacks could keep on marginalising Dagg, with Ben Smith becoming the regular fullback.
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