Luke McAlister The Female Choice For Carter Backup

Luke McAlister The Female Choice For Carter Backup

Amongst rugby fans Luke McAlister (20%) is the favoured choice as backup to Dan Carter.

Given his shaky form in that role in the past and the fact that he is playing second five outside Stephen Brett for the Blues this is possibly surprising.

A halfback of uncertain fitness at this stage, Piri Weepu, is second choice at 17%. The favoured choice of most pundits, Colin Slade, comes in third at 10%. Fieldwork for this survey was prior to his second broken jaw.

Which all goes to show it is probably just as well Messrs Henry, Smith and Hansen are making the choice.

There was not much support for other contenders with Cruden on 7%, Donald on 6%, Evans on 5% and Delaney and Brett on 4%. 25% are unsure.

Gender and region are major determinants.

Amongst women McAlister is strongly preferred. He leads here by 27% to 19% over Weepu. Men are less convinced with Slade (16%) narrowly their favourite over Weepu (15%) and McAlister (14%).

In Auckland McAlister (25%) leads Weepu (19%) with Slade (6%) also behind Cruden (8%). Brett in his new province rated a lowly 2%.

In the South Island Slade is number 1 on 19% ahead of McAlister on 15% and Weepu on 15%. Brett does better here on 8%.

The Wellington subsample is too small for anything other than indicative analysis but local boy Weepu is the most favoured on 36% ahead of McAlister.

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