Former All Blacks share their standouts from second Test

The All Blacks stuck to their game plan of playing fast, running rugby in Wellington, despite it being slightly more challenging conditions than the ones under the roof in Dunedin the week before.

This attacking style of rugby meant there were many standout performances from Saturday’s victory for the All Blacks, with a couple of forwards especially standing out to four former All Blacks.

Speaking on The Breakdown on Sky Sports, former All Black Mils Muliaina was quick to highlight the impact that Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu had on the Test match, especially with the All Blacks losing captain Scott Barrett during the week.

“Patrick Tuipulotu stood up. You know, he was awesome, It was awesome to see him last night so that gives you a bit more confidence in the fact that our senior players are really sort of starting to stand up in these Tests,” Muliaina said.

Current Sky Sports commentator and former All Black Jeff Wilson also agrees about Tuipulotu’s impact, saying that his experience is crucial for this All Blacks team.

“Let’s talk about Patrick, because he’s played no rugby since he’s been knocked out with the Blues. Since the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs, he hasn’t been out on the field so I think that’s what’s great about having experience like this.

“He knows he’s a big body and he knows how to use it. I think for me, he was a standout performer on Saturday.”

Former All Black first-five Stephen Donald was surprised with how effective his ball carrying was in Wellington.

“When you talk about him being knocked out so late in the Super Rugby Pacific, he seems to have not slowed down, I’ve never seen him carry so much, he was everywhere and those carries, he was as dynamic as Tupou Vaa’i was,” Donald told The Breakdown.

81-Test former All Black halfback Justin Marshall was impressed with the 32-year-old’s leg speed in the contact area.

“He was awesome and he was punching through areas others couldn’t, he had really good body height, good leg speed and like you said he’s a big body.

“Knows where he wants to go, and he’s still got subtleties as well and I was noticing those carries had width, you know, he’s not carrying into the two pillars.

“He’s trying to hit three or four in you know and so he’s an intelligent rugby player and I think that was a brilliant performance.”

Chiefs lock Tupou Vaa’i has also impressed the four former All Blacks throughout his first two appearances in the No.6 jersey for the All Blacks.

Despite being confirmed to be missing this wekeend’s clash in Hamilton after a failed HIA on Saturday, Vaa’i’s performances are giving the All Blacks a loose forward headache according to Marshall.

“In regards to Tupou Vaa’i, I think they’re always working to get him back to lock eventually though because of the problems we’ve got in the loose forwards with injury at the moment, Jacobson, Lakai and Sititi.

“But they now know that he can play there pretty well, he’s probably causing a bit of a headache more than anything.”

Muliaina believes that Dutch-born lock Fabian Holland’s ceiling is huge, after making 15 tackles from 15 in Wellington on Saturday.

“Oh, man it’s massive, I mean, when you talk about a big body, you’re thinking the size as well. Some of his carries are exceptional,” Muliaina said on The Breakdown.

“But also the fact that, although he’s a big man, he’s got speed when you’re lifting him in the lineouts, he stole a couple earlier on.

“Now he’s gets his starts and his engine is massive, 15 from 15 tackles.”