39 - 15

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29 - 52

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25 - 19

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Friday

10:00

Nations Championship

Commentator weighs in on All Blacks No.10 debate ahead of final

Henry Lee

Published: 15 June 2026 18:22 CDT

Damian McKenzie, Will Jordan and Ruben Love look on during a New Zealand All Blacks captains run at Forsyth Barr Stadium on July 04, 2025 in Dunedin, New Zealand. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

Sky Sport commentator Tony Johnson has weighed in on this weekend’s matchup between Damian McKenzie and Ruben Love in the Super Rugby Pacific final.

The matchup between the likely starting first-fives could have a direct impact on who All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie selects as his first choice option for the first Nations Championship Test against France.

McKenzie, who brought up his 150th Chiefs appearance on Friday night, played a pivotal role in his side’s impressive 40-minute demolition of the Crusaders in the semi-final.

Love, on the other hand, was replaced in the 50th minute against the Blues, with Clark Laidlaw opting to rest Love’s tight calf, an injury he picked up during training last week.

But the Hurricanes first-five has starred in the most in-form backline in Super Rugby Pacific, growing into his role as a primary game-driver alongside All Black teammates Jordie Barrett and Cameron Roigard.

VIDEO

Johnson, who commentated McKenzie’s outing against the Crusaders in Hamilton, said it was a real leader’s performance.

“I thought McKenzie had a Damian McKenzie game, on that form, and of course it’s a big if, but you’d think if he could play like that week in week out for the All Blacks, then maybe there wouldn’t be such a debate as we’ve been having all this time,” Johnson said on the DSPN Podcast with Martin Devlin.

“But that’s something that still has to be proven, his ability to produce that at test level, but I thought he was fantastic on Friday night.

“The switches of play, the subtle little delays of the pass, but also the variations in the kicking game, deft little chips through along the ground, or a couple that went in the air that they were able to regather constantly kept the Crusaders’ defence off balance.”

When asked about Love’s All Blacks chances, at least in the starting No.10 jersey, the experienced commentator believes the pecking order likely changes every week.

“Look, Ruben Love is such a talented player, and to me, quite clearly, they are one and two in the pecking order, now Beauden Barrett, you could argue, has perhaps suffered a bit because of the way the Blues have played this year, or the way their forms fallen away,” Johnson said on the DSPN.

“To me the one two right now is McKenzie, Love. Last week it might have been Love, Mackenzie, I don’t know, it’s hard not to chop and change with every performance.

“It might just might be one of those ones where how some tournaments in the sevens are worth double points or you get to the decider, does that almost effectively be worth double points in the eyes of the All Black selectors because it’s a big occasion or are they still more likely to look over the course of the season, or at least the second part of the season.

“You have to factor in that they know what these players are capable of, and so they don’t discard things that have happened in previous years, and even though you talk about a new group coming in with a new coach, new ideas, new thoughts, are still going to be mindful of what players have achieved in the past.”

Johnson believes the previous All Blacks coaching group, led by Scott Robertson, were “conservative” in how they handled Love in 2025.

“That was a big disappointment on the tour last year, and the year before, would have loved to have seen him just get a bit more of an opportunity.

“A bit conservative with the way they handled him. Look, he’s a fantastic player, and he can bring a point of difference to a game. There’s still the odd little untidy bit, like a pass that might go out the back door, something like that, but there’s no question that the guy has got a real X factor about his play.

“I think the kicking game does come into it, because he’s got such good kickers either side of him, with Cam Roigard, who’s a fantastic kicker off that left boot, and Jordie Barrett’s been doing a fair bit of kicking as well, he’s got those two players, so you’ve got to have a good kicking game.”

Comments

25 Comments

LondonAllBlack 34 days ago

I think we are going to see a very different Damien McKenzie under the direction of Dave Rennie.

LondonAllBlack 34 days ago

I can't believe that there are folks that still consider Bauden Barrett as a legitimate starter ar first-five for the All Blacks!

DC 34 days ago

i think beauden is almost done as a test player and got shown up on saturday at fullback for the blues

JW 35 days ago

“I thought McKenzie had a Damian McKenzie game, on that form, and of course it’s a big if, but you’d think if he could play like that week in week out for the All Blacks, then maybe there wouldn’t be such a debate as we’ve been having all this time,”

Oh Damian backed up week after week alright, it’s just Hansen or Razor didn’t like what that meant.

I feel the fans, and Tony included perhaps, don’t realise that you only get these results of Damian playing this way when the rest have laid the foundation, and the players can finish. Back in 2024 especially, Dmac was asked to start and finish the moves, that Bledisloe test highlight this most of all.

The difference between the 10s, which Love showed most of all last year in the Canes late run, is that he doesn’t need that foundation to play a certain way. His strength is being tough in contact and making smart simple decisions, where Dmac is also looking for good options, and gets in a whole when the team doesn’t provide any. Love is more than happy to just snap the ball out and let his midfield deal with it, or kick kick kick.

Both could be needed and I’m torn how best to use them, 50/30s or 2 games in 1 game out.

Spew_81 35 days ago

Rennie needs to decide which 10 he takes a ‘punt’ on. All options are a risk.

McKenzie who has consistently/increasingly looked good at second tier level, but has consistently not quite reached the mark at 10 at test level; but is still improving and may, finally, make it by the time RWC 2027 comes around. McKenzie showed excellent game management and maturity against the Crusaders in their semi final; and excellent goal kicking.

Love the young up and comer who has consistently taken the chances on offer. But who is untested at 10 in tests. If he improves at the current rate, he may be outstanding by the time RWC 2027 comes around. Love was a bit subdued against the Blues in their semi final; also his goal kicking was a bit off in that game.

B Barrett, as much of a legend as he has been, is now injury cover. Probably out of the 23 all together.

It’s a tough choice. One view is that Love has a lot more ceiling available than McKenzie. That Love is the better long term option, but McKenzie is the safer option. Maybe Rennie only being signed for two years will make him go for the safer option?

As the 9 will almost certainly be Roigard, and the 12 is highly likely to be B Barrett. Will that factor in?

One thing that will not change though is - if Rennie is looking for a 10 that runs straight, rather than a tendency to crab across the field - then Love is the best option.

PB 34 days ago

Probably the one advantage the Boks have going into the test season, heading towards the WC, is that there is clarity for the pecking order in almost every position. Barring injury, Rassie and his team know already who they want to take to Australia for the WC.

That means he can focus on game tweaks, rotating key players and building more depth for post WC 2027.

JW 35 days ago

Many interesting questions to be answered. Does Jordie win enough ball in the midfield? Does he have enough attitude to counter attack from from 15?

I think he needs to make a choice around his 10s, but the big one is going to be whether he decides to give Mounga a good run for his money or not.

I don’t think he needs to chose between Dmac or Love, at all really. And it shouldn’t take much to decide BB is out of the picture. But juggling three first fives, now that could be an issue. I’m a bit worried because thinking Dmac is still a capable test fullback is the fools gold that could ruin Rennie just like Hansen choosing Beauden ruined Razor.

Over the sideline 35 days ago

They need both. Dmacs performances have shown a real maturity this year and Love's time is here.

Razor game plans were horrible and confusing. Rennie won’t do that.

Need Jacomb to come thru to.

SB 35 days ago

One of the packs will not be dominant in the final, we will see how the 10 of that team does. Easy to look good when you’re on the front foot all the time.

Bazzallina 34 days ago

Canes scrum Chiefs lineout on the surface but the breakdown the collisions who knows flip a coin

NHinSH 35 days ago

This 100%

KwAussie 35 days ago

I think the ABs need to look to the future not back to the past. For me it was a huge failing of the Robertson era when he never went past BB and DMac. While it is unlikely to happen I’d like to see DMac, Love and Jacomb all as part of the wider squad. If RM proves he’s still got it in the NPC then he can be considered for the SA tour back up, but I’d prefer to engage the up and coming 10’s myself, especially leading into the RWC when DMac, BB and RM will all be well past their best

JW 35 days ago

Penney missed a trick going with the Mouga clone instead of the Merthens clone too. Reihana was great in the semi, so solid in contact like what has to be expected against France and SA.

SO 35 days ago

Don’t see what people see in Jacomb. To me just a journeyman I think Reihana next after Dmac and Love.

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