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Dave Rennie offers verdict on All Blacks debutants after Italy victory
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All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has shared his thoughts on Anton Segner and Josh Moorby’s debuts in their Nations Championship victory against Italy in Wellington.
The packed crowd of 33 thousand at Hnry Stadium was treated to a physical contest, where the All Blacks pulled away in the third quarter to clinch a 30-point victory.
Both All Blacks debutants came into the contest earlier than expected, with Hurricanes winger Moorby becoming All Black #1236 in the first half, before Segner replaced Luke Jacobson at halftime.
Moorby’s substitution was forced, with All Blacks winger Leroy Carter pulling up with an AC joint injury during the first half. Segner was also brought on due to injury, with Jacobson nursing a tight calf.
Speaking with Kirstie Stanway in a Sky Sport post-match interview, the All Blacks head coach compared Moorby’s skills to those of Will Jordan, who became the all-time leading try scorer in Test matches for the All Blacks against Italy.
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“Yeah, Josh [Moorby] got on a little bit earlier than planned, and he’s such a good footballer,” Rennie said on Moorby’s impact.
“You know, he created a couple of tries. He’s very much like Will Jordan, his ability to understand where to be and anticipate and get himself in position to take a pass and give a pass, and so I thought he was great.”
For Segner, the first German-born All Black, it was a slightly earlier substitution than some may have predicted, but Rennie praised his ability to adapt and his core skills.
“Obviously, Anton, we put on at half time and nice and direct and carried hard and defended well, and so that both had great great debuts,” the All Blacks coach said on Sky Sport.
While Segner was on the field, the All Blacks managed to score four quickfire tries in the third quarter of the game, but the Blues loose-forward gave credit to the Italian’s for hard they battled.
“I thought we really stepped up [second half]. I mean, credit to the Italians, especially in the first half. I thought physically they dominated us,” Segner told media in Wellington.
“They were top of us on top of us, especially at their defensive breakdown. They were getting hard jackals on there, and then we spoke about that in halftime, making sure that our carry and our cleans are a bit more brutal, and I think in the second half we showed that.”
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