'After yesterday's performance, Jack has really taken control of that 12 jersey': Kiwi stars say Goodhue will be the anchor of the All Blacks midfield
Rieko Ioane’s time starting at centre was interrupted by a return to last year’s World Cup centre pairing of Jack Goodhue and Anton Lienert-Brown in the All Blacks 27-7 win over the Wallabies.
Originally named on the bench, Ioane pulled out with a late injury, opening the door for Hurricanes centre Peter Umaga-Jensen to make his international debut.
Goodhue and Lienert-Brown delivered a solid performance in defence and attack in Ioane’s absence, with Goodhue becoming the lynchpin of the All Blacks set-piece while he was on the field.
Speaking on the Aotearoa Rugby Pod, Crusaders halfback Bryn Hall said that Goodhue was “a lot better” after a rather innocuous opening test in Wellington.
“I thought the combination of Jack Goodhue and Anton Lienert-Brown, their defensive efforts were fantastic,” Hall said.
“I thought Jack was a lot better defensively, and looked a lot more settled than he has the last couple of test matches. I know we did talk around the selection issue of whether it was going to be Rieko or Anton but I actually thought they were pretty solid those two.
“Just on attack too, I thought Jack looked a lot better as well. You know those little touches that he’s done at the Crusaders, that linking play with a pass or an offload, I thought he was a lot better this week.”
Blues hooker James Parsons, a sideline commentator for the match, added many don’t realise the parts of his game that enable others around him to flourish, highlighting the kind of touch he made to put Jordie Barrett in for a try in the second half.
“I was right near him at one stage down the edge. When you are playing him you actually don’t appreciate his skillset and his time on the ball,” Parsons told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
“He gets the ball, there is a man on him, he shapes inside and gets it away, and then just gets hit. I was just like, geez that’s good. I got to see it close up.”
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He also highlighted the work rate that both the centres did defensively, which was what they were brought into the starting side to do.
“What I noticed most about him, and Anton, is defensively they are just everywhere. The kilometres, I’d love to see both their GPS data numbers.
“Jack got subbed, and we all once you sit down it’s quite hard to get warm, Peter Umaga-Jensen goes off and he comes back on, I think he made another 10 tackles. He just looked like he was ready to go again.
“I thought the midfield worked really well, for what they were there to do, which was to shore up the defence.
“I will still argue those two players will never have the X-factor of what Rieko has, but in terms of their partnership and what they still offered in attack I think was much better.
“Again, I hate to harp on about it but the phase play shape allowed them that comfortable nature of what they are used to, Mo’unga and Goodhue, to flourish.”
One of the criticisms of Goodhue is that he wasn’t a pure direct runner that is able to get over the gain line, but both Parsons and Hall said he answered that on Sunday.
“He was good, straight off the scrum before Aaron Smith scored, he took that crash ball, bang, sucked in defenders and created that opportunity for Nuggy [Smith] to take,” Parsons recalled of Goodhue’s power running.
“He was definitely a strong performer.
“It looks like that’s what they are sticking with [the Goodhue-Lienert-Brown combination].”
Hall explained that Goodhue is still adjusting to moving inside one position after playing as an outside centre for most his Crusaders career before moving in one this year after Ryan Crotty’s departure.
“Jack had a lot of time at the Crusaders this year playing at 12. I think in that position it is a lot more directing, it’s that second pivot, very similar to [Matt] To’omua, helping out with the communication,” Hall explained.
“Jack was an out-and-out centre for the Crusaders before moving to 12 this year. I think it’s just going take him a bit of time.
“He had a great teacher in Ryan Crotty, to be able to learn off. For him I think the more time he gets in that jersey at that level, he’ll make those little improvements slowly.
“If you think about it, I would’ve thought they would have gone Anton at 12 and Jack at 13, that’s the combination they had at the World Cup so they must be seeing Jack as a 12 moving forward.
“We know that he is strong defensively and makes good decisions on attack, but that second pivot role and helping out the 10 and that connection with the 15, that will be the dressing for him moving forward in that environment.”
If Goodhue is the future 12 for the All Blacks, the Aotearoa Rugby Pod panel predicted that Ioane and Lienert-Brown might be the ones to split time in the 13 jersey, with the latter destined to potentially return to his bench role.
“He’s played that 23 role a lot,” Parsons said, “With Rieko’s ability to go to the wing, that suits.
“You look at the North vs South game, Anton and Rieko were pretty good. I’d like to see more of them together but after yesterday’s performance Jack has really taken control of that 12 jersey.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Brayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
5 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to comments