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Scott Robertson explains the backline changes for the All Blacks
By Ben Smith
The All Blacks have made a number of changes to their backline for the second Test against Argentina, including changing up both starting wingers.
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Blues wing Caleb Clarke comes onto the left while Will Jordan starts on the familiar right wing after 30 minutes off the bench last week.
Last week’s starter Mark Tele’a drops to the bench in the No 23 jersey while Sevu Reece is expected to play NPC after being left out of the side.
Returning to the starting line-up is Rieko Ioane, lining up at centre again after Anton Lienert-Brown featured there last week.
Robertson suggested that it was the familiarity of the combination with Jordie Barrett that he is looking for.
“It’s his opportunity,” head coach Robertson said of Ioane, “Look, you’ve seen some great performances beside Jodie Barrett there, and there’s an opportunity to have another crack.”
Whilst Will Jordan has been suggested as a fullback option, he will play once again on the wing. The All Blacks head coach explained that with Beauden Barrett in such good form, Jordan’s skillset fits perfectly out wide.
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“Oh, look, just we believe his skill sets perfect for for this combination,” Robertson said.
“Obviously, Beauden has played really good footy. They’ve worked together closely and got a good voice. They execute really well together. But just the experience we felt was best for this weekend.”
After scoring a hat-trick for the Blues in the Super Rugby Pacific final, Caleb Clarke finally gets his chance in the black jersey.
The power game that Clarke brings is a point of difference among the other wingers in the squad, and Robertson believes his game will compliment Jordan’s speed on the other side.
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“He’s a power wing, Caleb can carry the ball and dent the line, and he’s good in the in the air. So we just think those two will compliment each other this weekend.”
After the side struggled to exit effectively in Wellington, the continued selection of TJ Perenara was a bit of a surprise to some in the media.
But Robertson explained that he’s looking for the 1-2 combination with Cortez Ratima to pay dividends.
“Yeah, good question. Look, you know, TJ can play this opportunity to go again this weekend and lead the team in the nine jersey. Got a good combination with Cortez going, so they’ll work well together again this weekend.”
Go ABs!
Test rugby with the top 8 rankings must always be with your top team.
Top 8 test rugby is NOT a development clinic. Hence this, noting injuries, IS ABs TOP team (with the usual few marginal ? marks ), including the experience needed.
I assume Razor & gang have got Foster advising on the side ;b about this team Foster developed.
It would have been a good idea to have a few more pre England test games with 'less than 8 ranking teams' eg Fiji.
Razor & gang need to get out of Foster's shadow. THAT'S too late now & boy(!) the toughest series of tests ever is coming next ie best in world, including Europe... but they, including Razor & gang new this from the start last year, ie poor planning re lack of <8 ranking tests for developing ABs.
Good to have a strong Pumas (if consistent) in world rugby including to replace the lost woeful Wallabies.
Go ABs!
Among other things, I cannot believe that Will Jordan is still not going to be selected at 15.
A lot of playing it safe “experimentation” going on here.
Agreed, still think BB is more of an impact player off the bench even to replace dmac. Would still like to see Finau have another opportunity and would have thought rattima would have got the start, bring TJ off the bench, make more of an impact when the opposition tires.
Surely if Jordan was the best fullback Razor of all people would pick him there? Maybe, as many keep saying, he is not the best fullback?
TJ is a very lucky boy. Telea is a bigger weapon than Will Jordan imo.
Their try strike rate begs to differ in regards to their Jordan and Tele’a
Just watched the NZR+ Q&A with Razor, Cane, Tamaiti and Reiko. What a nice group of blokes. Everyone has views on players or coaches and their abilities, which is fair, but it's great to see that they are still good people.
JB and RI will flatter to deceive against Argentina and so will be retained against SA where they will return to being the impediments to the rest of the backline they've been now for so long. I'm a massive Razor fan but returning to this pair, along with retaining TJ, baffles me.
Couldn't agree more, especially with jordie