Tony Johnson: 'Most significant performance of McKenzie's career'

With 20 minutes to go at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, it’s safe to say the game was in the balance, and Scotland were well and truly in the hunt for a famous victory over the All Blacks.

But International rugby can change just like that, and that’s what happened when replacement playmaker Damian McKenzie came onto the field for Caleb Clarke in the second half for the All Blacks.

Current Sky Sports commentator Tony Johnson, who called the game on Sunday morning, was full of praise for the 72-Test veteran, who almost single handedly won the away side the game.

“Look, it was a remarkable cameo, because all in a half hour performance he made a try saving tackle. He got that 50/22, he scored a try and I’m still struggling to figure out how the heck he managed to do that,” Johnson told Ian Smith on Sport Nation Morning’s.

“Because he was up against a pretty good defender in Kinghorn, the fullback for Scotland. He had an outstanding game, but McKenzie, it just was almost like a kid playing bull rush or something.

“Just the absolute determination to get away from the tackle, get the ball over the line; that spoke volumes for his character and his determination, because he knew that was a big moment in the game and he wasn’t going to miss out.

“And then, of course, he didn’t quite hit the conversion right, but then the nerveless manner with which he stepped up and slotted that ball was about a 45 meter penalty to lock the game down.”

Johnson also believes that McKenzie’s performance was one of his best ever, due to taking the game by the scruff of the neck when the All Blacks needed it the most.

“To me, that is the most significant performance of Damian McKenzie’s Test career, because it was a real match winning performance.

The veteran commentator still thinks the coaching staff will stick with Beauden Barrett at first-five and McKenzie off the bench in the No.22 jersey, based on what the Chiefs playmaker can bring off the bench late in games.

“But, you know, I just get the feeling, Smithy, they’ll stick with that setup that they’ve had where Barrett starts the game in the driver’s seat, and they can bring Mckenzie on later on the game, when maybe things are breaking up, or the game’s in the balance,” the Sky Sport commentator told Smith.

“Because whatever the situation, he can make a difference, but I can understand why people want to see him on the field for longer than that.

“I don’t disagree with that. I’m just sort of guessing with the way that the coaching staff are thinking and the way they use them.”

Johnson adds that in International rugby nowadays, the bench impact and who comes on in the second half is just as important as who starts, especially when the All Blacks coaches have the luxury of versatile backs.

“In a way, it underlined why they like him coming off the bench, because he’s got the ability to come on and change the game and we all say it now so often, it’s a 23 player game, and you just look at the impact of the bench on the South African game against France, the French just couldn’t live with the Springbok bench.

“So to me, I wonder whether that is what they’re going to continue to do and of course, when he comes on, you’ve got different options. You can move will Jordan to the right wing, or they’ve got the potential to move Leicester Fainga’anuku from center to wing, that sort of thing. ”