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Dagg weighs in on All Blacks' 'confusing as hell' fullback selections
All Blacks coach Ian Foster has appeared resolute in his preferred selection of Beauden Barrett at fullback throughout the past 15 months, but a start for Damian McKenzie in the 15 jersey against Uruguay suggested there may be another option on the selection table.
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McKenzie’s form in Super Rugby Pacific as the architect of the Chiefs attack was destructive. Occupying the first receiver role, the 28-year-old piled pressure on defences with an unpredictable and evasive running game, helping his team to a near-perfect record in the competition.
Continuing that form with the All Blacks, McKenzie has had a run as both primary and secondary playmaker and looked equally effective at each.
The dual playmaker model has challenged the chemistry of New Zealand’s playmakers since 2019’s World Cup, and while McKenzie’s form would see him ready to take centre stage under the bright lights of Paris, the lack of sample size of him playing next to first five-eighth Richie Mo’unga is cause for concern.
A man who has won a World Cup in the 15 jersey, Israel Dagg, says it may be too late for a changing of the guard.
“I just don’t think that Fozzie (Ian Foster) will make that change,” Dagg told SENZ Breakfast. “He’s had four years to make that change and he hasn’t made it. So, I don’t think he’s going to come out in the quarter-final and make that change.
“Look I’ve seen a lot from Damian, don’t get me wrong, I’ve had to change my tune on Damian. I just think with Beauden being at fullback, there wouldn’t be a position for Damian on the bench. But, there has to be a position for Damian on the bench with just how well he is playing.
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“He’s got that X-factor about him, he’s got that randomness about him. Whether that’s enough to win a big pressure moment in a quarter-final, well time will tell. He has to be in the conversation now.
“I don’t think they’ll change the fullback role. I think they’ll stick tried and true with Richie Mo’unga at ten and Beauden at fullback, and Will Jordan on the wing with Mark Telea on the left.
“I think they’ll just keep it the same as what we saw against Italy. It’s just too late. Why would they do that now?
“It wouldn’t surprise me, because they’ve been confusing as hell with some of the ways that they’ve approached these games. But, I think they’ll stick tried and true to what they’ve done already and it’ll be the same team.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
Just came back from the game and the atmosphere was amazing. Players stayed afterwards for more than a hour to sign stuff and take photos with fans. Great day out.
5 Go to commentsA great game. The Sharks without Etsebeth are a shadow of the team compared to when he plays. The limitations of Some of the expensive Sharks players are being exposed. Credit to Clermont for some exhilaration play at times.
5 Go to comments100% Mr Owens. But who would want to be a referee.? It must be the most difficult job on earth.
1 Go to commentsStarts to be overdone and oversold this systematic SA narrative…which nevertheless has the merit in this case to recognise blatant refereeing mistakes in their favor
5 Go to commentsNice article. Shades of Steinbeck. They can win the final if they take the game seriously; but only if they take it seriously.
5 Go to commentsWhat a sad way to end a glittering career. Somebody should tell him to delete his social media accounts and face the consequences of what he's done. Then he should slip away quietly into obscurity. This isn't likely to happen, something tells me he'll be back in The Sun / Daily Mail sooner rather than later.
3 Go to commentsguys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
3 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
228 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
4 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
90 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
30 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
228 Go to comments