The All Blacks open their first extended tour of South Africa in 30 years against the Stormers in Cape Town on Friday night, and the selection generating the most noise back home is the one that did not happen.
Fehi Fineanganofo scored a record 17 tries in Super Rugby Pacific this season. He debuted for New Zealand off the bench against France in the opening round of the Nations Championship, playing 12 minutes with barely a touch, then watched Leroy Carter and Josh Moorby get starts in the following weeks. For Friday, Dave Rennie's staff have picked returning Leinster midfielder Rieko Ioane on the left edge and named Caleb Clarke at No. 23.
Former All Blacks fullback Israel Dagg expected otherwise.
"Round two, are we going to see a Fineanganofo? I thought this might have been the game that we see Fehi," Dagg said on Sport Nation's Izzy and Scotty show. "It's an interesting one. We haven't seen a hell of a lot of him."
Dagg offered his own explanation. "He's the biggest name throughout Super Rugby and we've seen glimpses of him throughout these All Blacks games, so maybe they're just saving him for that Sharks game in the lead up to that first Test, and that'll be where the start of the team."
He was not condemning the side. "But all-in-all, Sumo, I like it. It's a good starting team."
Commentator Scotty Stevenson argued the Ioane selection tells its own story about how the 88-Test back is now viewed, with Anton Lienert-Brown and Billy Proctor given the midfield while Jordie Barrett and Quinn Tupaea are rested.
"I don't see him as a centre in this team. I don't," Stevenson said. "I think he's been picked as an outside back. I stand to be corrected, but I think he's there as an outside back."
The wider point of the first three tour matches, all against South African URC sides, is exposure. Assistant coach Jason Ryan said as much this week.
"I think it's really important we start with a bit of confidence, and we get into our game," Ryan told Stuff NZ. "We have 10 new guys involved that have come into the group and a few debutants that have never been into the environment before, so making sure we set them up is really important, firstly.
"Then we want to play some footy, and Dave has been pretty clear that we really want to give everyone a crack in these first few games. That's what the tour is about. We haven't hidden from that and that's the opportunity."
Beauden Barrett is one of the beneficiaries. Selected in Rennie's first squad in July but never used, the 35-year-old gets the No. 10 shirt against a Stormers side he has not faced since South Africa left Super Rugby in 2019.
"I'm very excited for the opportunity," Barrett told reporters in Cape Town. "It's been a good chance to work on my game and at the same time freshen up a little bit."
He is conscious of the risk that comes with a long wait. "I know how excited I am. I'm conscious I don't want to overdo it either; overplay. It's about containing that and making good decisions.
"There's been a few weeks between games for me, so there might be a tendency to rip in, but at the same time it's about controlling those emotions, those temptations and just backing myself in the preparation."
Rennie was untroubled. "He's smart, he's played 140-odd games for this country, so he won't try and overplay his hand," the coach said. "His job is to implement and organise people around him. We've got a clear plan of how we want to play."
Opposite Barrett stands 20-year-old Yaqeen Ahmed, making his senior Stormers debut after steering South Africa to a second consecutive World U20 title last month. Ahmed has named Barrett as a childhood hero.
"I feel honoured that I was once looked up to by him," Barrett said. "As All Blacks, we're always trying to do our best to inspire kids across the globe, not just in New Zealand. It's pretty cool that we have a chance to go head-to-head, and I'll certainly make sure that I chat to him after the game and share a cold drink with him afterwards, because he's certainly the future."
Rennie credited the pathway that produced him. "Both of their halves are excellent, aren't they? I wouldn't say I've watched an enormous amount, but when you look at the quality of the 20s program recently, Kevin Foote running that, he's done a fantastic job."
With 26 Springboks away in Buenos Aires, John Dobson's side is depleted but not weak, with Evan Roos and Andre-Hugo Venter starting and Warrick Gelant at fullback.
"It's still a pretty strong Stormers side, we think. There's no shortage of talent and depth in this country," Rennie said. "The old days of playing a French Barbarians or a South African XV to soften you up heading into a Test series have probably changed."
Kick-off at Cape Town Stadium is 19:00 local time. The Sharks follow in midweek.
