Ex-All Black takes aim at Ethan de Groot for 'taking the p***'

Former All Black halfback Justin Marshall has taken aim at Highlanders prop Ethan de Groot for ‘taking the p***’ during the Highlanders tense 7-6 win over the Force in Dunedin.

In a game plagued by stoppages due to errors and turnovers the spectacle suffered as the Highlanders and Force became entrenched in a messy game. Both sides committed 20 turnovers each, an obscenely high amount.

The speed of the game was also not helped when All Black prop Ethan de Groot needed a change of boots due to issues with grip on the playing surface.

De Groot’s on-field sprig change just 19 minutes into the contest included a full boot clean, with the medic scrapping off the grass while every player waited.

Talking on SENZ Radio and offering his dig of the week, Marshall believed that should any player need equipment changed, the game must play on instead of stopping to accomodate the needs of one player.

“I think what we are trying to do is keep the ball in play more, we are trying to speed the game up,” Marshall told SENZ Radio

“I feel the referees and ARs can recognise times to keep the game flowing when players are quite literally taking the p*** with slowing the game down.

“We saw it last night in the game between the Force and Highlanders where Ethan de Groot probably soaked up about four or five minutes while getting the sprigs in his boots changed.

“I get it, he needed to change them, it might have been a grip problem or whatever, but that can be done in the background while the game is still going on.

“If he didn’t have his equipment ready and right to go at the start of the game, and need to change it, well you are going to have to do that and survive with 14 men.

“We just need to be smarter. Often you see players going down for no real reason, they are way out of play not seriously hurt, we just need to keep the game flowing.

“Keep the game flowing as much as we can.”