The respect was immense, and so too was the humour, as long-time All Blacks props Ofa Tuungafasi and Nepo Laulala paid tribute to their record breaking team-mate Sam Whitelock ahead of the pivotal World Cup pool clash against Italy.
The 34-year-old soon-to-be longest serving All Black of all time has been named, rather anticlimactically, on the bench for Saturday’s (NZT) matchup at OL Stadium on the outskirts of Lyon. In one of the great party-pooper selections, coach Ian Foster has fittingly put the team ahead of the individual in what will be Whitelock’s 149th test for his nation. You have to know the great man would have agreed wholeheartedly.
When he runs on the field, to no doubt rapturous applause at the wonderful 55,000-seat stadium, Whitelock will surpass his great friend, and colleague, Richie McCaw for that honour.
But it’s such a big game, with the All Blacks playing for their survival in the tournament against a team on the improve, Foster judged Scott Barrett and Brodie Retallick to be his best starting second-row combination, leaving Whitelock to tick off the wonderful achievement (only Wales’ Alun Wyn Jones, with 170, has more test caps globally) from the pine.
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