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'I don't understand': Former All Black puzzled by halfback selections
By Henry Lee
With the November Internationals only three weeks away, All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson has named his 36-man squad for the end-of-year tour.
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The Grand Slam tour includes a rematch against Ireland in Chicago, a Test against Scotland in Edinburgh, England in London and Wales in Cardiff.
Robertson’s squad only has a couple of changes to the TRC squad that finished second behind South Africa.
George Bell replaces Brodie McAlister, Josh Lord replaces Tupou Vaa’i and Hurricanes prop Tevita Mafileo is the only debutant in the squad.
Former All Black halfback Justin Marshall is slightly surprised that there is no major surprises or selections in Robertson’s squad.
“It’s very mandatory of what they’ve been using this season and to a degree last year as well. No real major surprises or bolters, as we like to say,” Marshall said on Sport Nation Mornings with Ian Smith.
“So obviously, Scott Robertson, is the one that is responsible for taking the players that he believes can go away and win four Test matches.
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When asked about one of the standouts from the Bunnings NPC competition, Otago’s Dylan Pledger, Marshall is confused about why Finlay Christie wouldn’t be in the All Blacks XV squad instead.
“Look, I don’t feel that you you have to hold back on players when they’ve been in the system and no doubt, Dylan Pledger in particular has been in the system. He’s a player that has been under their watch, so when you’re watching a player like that, at some stage, you know that you’ve got to pull the trigger on them.
“And I just don’t feel there’s a future in Finlay Christie, so why the hell are they taking him, like I don’t understand the thought process there where you’ve got two established half backs in Cameron Roigard and Cortez Ratima, you could have put Finlay Christie in the All Blacks XV that’ll be in the UK.
Pledger starred for Otago on Friday night against Waikato in the first quarter-final, scoring a try early in the first half and a 60m intercept try in the second half.
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Marshall believes that getting a player like Pledger into camp now, will help him in the long term, just by getting the 20-year-old used to the environment.
“Get a guy like Dylan Pledger in the system like put him in the mix, see how he reacts in the environment he might not get any minutes, but get him involved, and let him know what it feels like to be in an All Black camp.
“So I don’t understand why they are not being brave and bold, given that they’ve had inconsistency in their Test matches and their success, take a risk, and to be honest. I don’t feel like taking Dylan Pledger is a risk.”