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International

'Stood up': Former All Black pleased with the growth of Chiefs lock

Henry Lee

173 days ago

Josh Lord of New Zealand during The Rugby Championship match between New Zealand All Blacks and Argentina at Eden Park on August 17, 2024 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Dave Rowland/Getty Images)

Despite only making his tenth appearance for the All Blacks this morning against Scotland at Murrayfield, Chiefs lock Josh Lord has stepped up in back-to-back games without captain, Scott Barrett, who is out with a leg laceration.

Lord was asked to play huge minutes off the bench against Ireland in Chicago last weekend, with Barrett going off in the 2nd minute with a leg injury. He didn’t return, meaning Lord was tasked with the lineout calling duties, which in itself is a big job, let alone in your ninth Test.

This week though, the 24-year-old was in the starting XV and started the game with a hiss and a roar in Edinburgh.

The All Blacks had the ball in midfield, in what looked like a regular ruck with halfback Cameron Roigard, before the 2.02m lock saw some space in and around the breakdown.

Scotland’s defensive line was fragile, so Lord took the opportunity to scoop up the ball and charge towards the home side’s line with ball in hand.

Just as you thought the Scottish defence would bring the big lock down, he freed up his arms and offloaded to Roigard who strolled in for the All Blacks’ first try at Murrayfield.

Former All Black halfback Steve Devine, who played ten Tests for the All Blacks, said that Lord was his player of the match in the 25-17 victory.

“It was a tough because I thought everyone played pretty well in this match, but I’m going to go Josh Lord because I think it’s the best they’ve played in an All Black jumper,” Devine said on Sport Nation’s Rugby Run with Mark Watson.

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“I thought that’s the best All Black performance that he’s put in, special note to Damian McKenzie with a couple of big plays at the end. But I thought Josh, he really stood up today and proved himself on the international scene.”

His All Blacks coach also was impressed with Lord and his locking partner Fabian Holland, who have a combined 21 Tests between them in their short careers in the black jersey.

“Just the engines from them, from last week to this week, and they executed their role really well. Was really pleased, and they’ll be better for that,” Robertson told media post-match.

Comments

21 Comments

B A 173 days ago

Lock would be one of the strongest positions in NZ rugby look at all the young skilled physical dudes over that 2m or just under

PMcD 173 days ago

By the way, how good was Sititi yesterday? He was exceptional although the yellow card could have been disastrous. He’s going to be such a good player in 4 or 5 years time.

PMcD 173 days ago

Lord & Holland have been fantastic and really add something extra together.

I don’t think Scooter will get back in the team, so looks like being a bench option for the foreseeable future.

SC 173 days ago

Maybe you failed to notice the All Blacks did not have scrum dominance against an average scrummaging team nor could defend a driving maul.

I think Lord and Holland are both playing well individually but neither is a power tight lock, both are still skinny. Both need to bulk up to play tighthead lock. As of now both are very good loose aerial locks.

I know Holland is 125kgs but on his frame he is skinny compared to South African, French, and Argentine locks.

johnz 173 days ago

Scooter’s not going anywhere. The bloke’s been written off a little quickly, I feel. Rewind 2 years, and he was probably our best and most consistent forward, bar Savea, for a number of years on the trot. For whatever reason, injuries certainly being one of them, he’s not at the peak of his powers at this moment. The fact he’s taking a good chunk of the season off next year to regenerate tells us a lot about where he’s at.

Given his form, I don’t think he should be carrying the captains’ armband, however. But traditionally, that’s how the ABs roll. A coach has to elect his captain at the start of his tenure to present to the board. With the modern game being so attritional, that practice doesn’t make sense any more.

Ron Burgundy 173 days ago

They have indeed but Razor loves Scooter and he is the captain

We have gone from 3-4 locks to 6 now!

Really pleased for Lord as rightly people asked what does he do? He’s always injured and is erratic even in SR or NPC but he’s gone really well

Holland too wow that guy has an engine

76 mins drives through a ruck on his feet which set up Fainga’anuku for a ruck penalty

But those two locks have put in huge shifts and if scooter is back he will come back in

But who drops out? Darry also won a couple of lineout steals in his brief time

Don’t forget Paddy and Tupou to come back!

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