With less than seven months remaining until the 2023 Rugby World Cup begins, speculation as to who will make Ian Foster’s 33-man squad continues to grow.
The All Blacks completed their tumultuous 2022 season on a high with three wins and a draw in their four end-of-year Northern Tour fixtures to post a record of eight wins from 13 matches across the year.
Several fresh faces, including electric Blues winger Mark Telea, added punch to the All Blacks’ line-up in the final tour of the year and may signal more changes to come in 2023.
The tournament will also mark Foster’s swansong with the national side and may push him to take a gamble on some of Super Rugby Pacific’s most promising young players.
With that in mind, SENZ Breakfast host Tony Kemp has named two backline bolters for the All Blacks’ 2023 Rugby World Cup squad.
See Kemp’s bolters and explanations below.
Cam Roigard (Hurricanes halfback)
“This 23-year-old is smashing up the Super Rugby (competition).
“In my opinion, (he) has surpassed incumbents Finlay Christie and Folau Fakatava.
“Man has he got speed to burn … not even a centre can catch that halfback if he gets in the clear.
“We need that … on the back of his current strong Super Rugby campaign.”
Shaun Stevenson (Chiefs utility back)
“The Waikato outside back can cover almost any position in the backline but more importantly, he’s such an attacking weapon.
“The All Blacks are definitely going to need players with the X-factor just to get through the early rounds of the World Cup.
“Shaun would have to be just such a bolter.
“If you tie in Mark Telea, we are now talking strike power on both sides of the pitch.”