'Half-hearted': Israel Dagg criticises All Black winger's performance

You get the feeling that the first two games of the Rugby Championship in 2025 for the All Blacks against Argentina has left more questions than answers, around discipline, attacking strategy and consistency in selections.

The back three had it’s struggles against Argentina in Buenos Aires, especially under the high ball, after the home side put continuous pressure on Rieko Ioane, Sevu Reece and Will Jordan throughout the game.

Former All Black winger Israel Dagg has criticised Rieko Ioane’s performance against Argentina, especially his effort on the kick chase and in the air.

“You look at our chases at the moment, and Rieko, this isn’t a plot on him as a person, but he just can’t get up and chase and put pressure on the ball, like you look at him and he’s getting up and he’s kind of just half hearted into the into the jump,” Dagg said on Sport Nation’s Breakfast with Scotty & Izzy.

“He’s not winning it, he’s not brave, he’s not courageous, and he’s not getting up and trying to put a knee in the bloke, like, that’s what you’ve got to do.”

When Scotty Stevenson asks Dagg whether it’s Ioane’s pace that’s the issue, or a lack of effort, the 66-Test former All Black is convinced he still has the pace at Test level.

“No, it’s not the pace, you just have to want to get up and yeah, it’s gonna hurt, you’re gonna be putting your body in a position that it’s not accustomed to and potentially you can go very, very, very wrong,” Dagg said on Sport Nation.

“You’re going to go to hurt your bum, and you’re going to hurt your back, and you’re going to fall in some awkward places, but for the better of the team, you’ve just got to have to do it.

“And right now, we aren’t going up with any confidence, we’re not going up with any physicality, and we’re just getting beaten on the punch, on the high pool, and it’s so important right now in the game of rugby, the kick Chase is a genuine contest now, because escorters are gone.

“It’s a 50-50 play, and right now it’s a 70-30 play, because opposition would have seen that and it’s gonna continue to come throughout the rest of the year and if we do not fix that, it’s gonna be a difficult season.”

Dagg gives credit to Argentina whose kicks were accurate, and not too far that their chasers couldn’t get up and contest.

“Argentina, they kicked really well, they weren’t kicking it too long, and I think that’s the problem at the moment. from our own kicks, we are kicking it too long and there’s not enough height on it.

“So you’re not giving our chasers a genuine option to get up and disrupt, I’ve got to be completely honest, there’s only one bloke there at the back at the moment they can catch high ball, and you’re relying heavily on a Will Jordan to get up and and do what’s asked of him.”