Foul.
The All Blacks have released seven players this week and three of them are in the Waikato team.
This is how conspiracy theories start.
Experienced midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown and forwards Luke Jacobson and Samipeni Finau will join the Mooloos ahead of their quarterfinal against Otago in Dunedin tomorrow.
All Blacks and Otago prop George Bower has not been released.
There is no serious suggestion of any anti-Otago bias. None. Zero.
And any worried Otago fans need only cast their mind back to round five, when Waikato had a bunch of All Blacks return, played terribly and lost the Ranfurly Shield to Southland.
But. Come. On.
Tasman will be peeved too.
Their quarterfinal against Bay of Plenty in Tauranga on Saturday just got harder.
All Blacks front rowers Tevita Mafileo and Pasilio Tosi will add their weight to the Bay pack.
Taranaki get the services of lock Josh Lord for their away quarterfinal against Hawke’s Bay in Napier on Saturday, and Canterbury get hooker Brodie McAlister back for their home playoff against Counties-Manukau.
