‘Australia are beaten up’: Why the All Blacks need to pick and stick
Former New Zealand halfback Justin Marshall doesn’t want to see any changes to the All Blacks’ starting side when they take on rivals Australia in Dunedin on Saturday.
Playing in front of more than 83,000 people at the MCG last weekend, the All Blacks secured The Rugby Championship crown and retained the Bledisloe Cup with a big win over the Wallabies.
It was their third win in as many starts this year. New Zealand began their campaign with a dominant win over Argentina, and backed up that performance against South Africa a week later.
This might be the best the All Blacks have looked under current coach Ian Foster.
But the All Blacks only have two more Test matches to play before their opening Rugby World Cup fixture against tournament hosts France in Paris.
New Zealand host arch-rivals Australia in the South Island this weekend, and they’ll have a ‘rematch’ of sorts against world champions South Africa in Twickenham just before the World Cup.
With just over a month to go until the upcoming tournament in France, former Test halfback Justin Marshall weighed in on why the All Blacks should “be very reluctant” to make mass changes.
“That’s the real melon scratcher really because Australia are beaten up, no doubt about it,” Marshall told The Platform. “They’ve got injury problems, they’re struggling again to find the way that they want to play.
“You don’t expect them to come with too much firepower given the evidence of what we saw on the weekend.
“It is a chance, I guess, to give some players more game time… but I think I said it before the All Blacks even ran out for their first Test match, I said they need to keep putting the same players out there.
“If you want players to get game time, bring them off the bench. Let the starting 15 continue to go out there and play as a team, be a team, and like I said, get galvanised together.
“I would be very reluctant to make any changes this weekend barring any injuries or fatigue.”
Following their 35-20 win over the Springboks in Auckland last month, the All Blacks made one change to their starting side to take on the Wallabies.
Captain Sam Cane sustained a neck injury during the match, and failed to recover in time for the opening Bledisloe Cup clash of the year.
Flanker Dalton Papali’i was promoted to the starting lineup for his first Test in the no. 7 jersey since his breakout end-of-season tour last year.
The Test also saw halfback Cam Roigard make his debut in black off the bench. Roigard has 19 minutes of Test rugby to his name, and is already a Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup winner.
There are other players in the squad though – including the likes of Shaun Stevenson and Samipeni Finau – who are yet to ply their trade in the Test arena.
Marshall said that he does “feel for some of the players” who haven’t got a run yet, but insisted the All Blacks’ starting side was untouchable.
“It’s not the time to experiment,” Marshall added. “It’s too short a window that they’ve got and then a World Cup is a World Cup.
“I feel for some of the players that probably deserve an opportunity and probably haven’t done anything wrong, but he (Ian Foster) knows what his starting 15 is and that’s the team that he’s got to keep chucking out there and making sure that they are the side that carries us all the way through to the World Cup final.
“I feel that when they can, give some of those players that are a bit green the time that they need off the bench.
“The players that they feel need a run this weekend off the bench, bring them on just before halftime if you want.”
The All Blacks take on the Wallabies at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday afternoon (NZST).
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
5 Go to comments