It won't matter who All Blacks coach Steve Hansen picks in the midfield this weekend in one sense. His decision, in the court of public opinion, will be judged as a success if the All Blacks win and a failure if they lose. It won't matter if the All Blacks win and the midfield is a disaster area: the post-game commentaries will be full of praise for his ingenuity and sixth sense, allowing victory to be the sole arbiter of his selection. To some extent the All Blacks may have to contradict their initial squad selection by picking Malakai Fekitoa to start. Pre-game he'll justify the pairing he picks, explain their prospective strengths and outline the role he hopes they will play.

Source: New Zealand Herald July 04, 2017 17:03 UTC