This kid Dallas McLeod is All Black material
The injury-crisis at the Crusaders may have uncovered a genuine option for the All Blacks at second five-eighth in young gun Dallas McLeod, who was exceptional against the Blues in a rare start.
Sometimes a prospect emerges who has all the tools, whilst it would be remiss to hand a black jersey based on one game, McLeod showed he has what it takes to thrust himself into the mix as a World Cup bolter this season with Jack Goodhue, David Havili, Anton Lienert-Brown and Quinn Tupaea on the sidelines.
The caveat is that he needs to maintain the form he showed at Eden Park. Was it just fuelled by the intensity of the Blues-Crusaders rivalry, or was this the real deal?
The 23-year-old barely put a foot wrong as he powered through the Blues, finding weak shoulders and smashing straight through them, showing deft touch to find his outside backs and offered stout defence to control All Black pair Rieko Ioane and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck for the most part.
With his first involvement of the game he folded Blues first five Beauden Barrett in an awkward grapple tackle.
The All Black centurion knew he was in trouble and sought the safety of the ground as McLeod had the upper body wrap to attempt to hold him up.
Barrett got the best of him moments later when McLeod went for the intercept.
A double-pump of the pass saw Telea receive the ball behind McLeod’s back, before the Blues wing pulled a Houdini act to evade half the Crusaders team for an incredible try.
McLeod can only take part fault for that, as you will find four other Crusader All Blacks failing to account for Telea during the passage.
The young second five was a dynamic option when he carried, landing on his stomach most of the time as the Blues struggled to contain him.
On his second touch a sharp cut of the right foot had Caleb Clarke beat on the inside and it took three Blues draped over him to bring him down.
After going off the left foot inside Rieko Ioane and James Tucker on his third carry, he boldly lined up reserve prop Jordan Lay and ran right through him with the Blues front rower lucky to get a boot lace tackle in.
The phase before Ethan Blackadder’s try he had the presence of mind to loop a one-hand offload while spinning 360 degrees to keep the ball alive.
He had Clarke pulling his jersey and Perofeta turned in, but he understood a three-on-one was there if he got the ball away.
The pass added another 15 metres of territory and momentum which the Crusaders turned into seven points on the next phase through Blackadder.
He pulled a similar spin move to escape the clutches of Tuivasa-Sheck on the left side, before expertly putting Mo’unga into space which led to Fainga’anuku’s first score.
He nearly scored a brilliant solo try rescuing a series of bad passes well behind the defensive line. Accepting the trash about 35 metres out, he bounced outside Hoskins Sotutu, cut off the left straight past Ricky Riccitelli and broke through a low tackle from Finlay Christie.
He was pulled down only a metre from the goal line before Blues prop Lay was yellow carded for a professional foul preventing a try from an offside position. The Crusaders scored seconds later from the ensuing scrum.
There were three key involvements from McLeod in the first three Crusader tries, while he discarded a handful of current All Black players in the process.
Inside two minutes into the second half he showed a long clearing kick off the right foot, chased down Caleb Clarke in a much-needed cover tackle, showed a bullet-like miss pass from a scrum play in the exit zone and displayed a well-placed left foot grubber kick on the next phase in behind the Blues that Telea failed to clean up.
He was everywhere, doing everything.
The defensive play that showed McLeod is wiser than his years came with 20 minutes to go coming off a Blues scrum.
The Blues ran a launch play used frequently by the All Blacks against the Springboks. It involves the 10-12-14 in tight space with the first five bringing pace onto the ball and attacking the 10-12 channel with two options.
McLeod shaded Tuivasa-Sheck’s line and then followed Barrett’s pass out the back to Telea where he crushed him in a two-man job with Braydon Ennor.
The ball popped up five metres into the air and had to be cleaned up by Christie, who then got dragged 20 metres backward. The Crusaders midfielder read it like a book and forced the Blues into a huge gain line loss.
On the Blues last roll of the dice they ran the same play again, this time Barrett went the short option to Bryce Heem who came on to replace Tuivasa-Sheck.
McLeod read that one too, monstering the Blues replacement in a ball-and-all tackle, holding him up for the game-winning turnover from a collapsed maul.
Was it a perfect showing? No, there were a few misses.
He got beat once by Tuivasa-Sheck on a hard line steaming onto a Barrett short ball and he had a bad angle that contributed to the Blues’ No 12s own try. A beautiful piece of play by Perofeta in the second half got Clarke free by drawing him in.
However, overall this was a commanding performance for a guy with 14 Super caps against the strongest roster in New Zealand against the biggest names.
He finished with 17 tackles from 19 attempts, chopping down All Blacks left, right, and centre including one on Dalton Papalii that put him on his backside and another that tipped the openside over the sideline.
Perhaps most importantly he outplayed his opposite number by some distance.
The All Blacks have been searching for a big frame at No 12 since Sonny Bill Williams retired following the last World Cup. McLeod is about 10kgs lighter but just 1cm shorter than Williams.
They have found a stopgap solution in fullback Jordie Barrett but how about this kid Dallas McLeod too? If the All Blacks midfield injuries persist and he can perform consistently like this over the season, why not?
If he maintains form like this he could be on a plane to France.
Comments on RugbyPass
Not good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
11 Go to commentsAfter missing the curfew, the player was simply too “Shagged” to stand up.
11 Go to commentsVernier is probably the best 12 in the world though she has some English competition these days . I am nervous for England because it is unpredictable France and who knows which team will turn up, but they have not yet shown anything that should worry England, Saturday could be a different day. I would be more confident against the BFs.
1 Go to commentsWhat a difference Rodda and Carter made. Rodda has been out for ages but he is really the only world class lock in Australian rugby. Him, Carter and Beale made a huge difference on the weekend. If only they had a few decent props they’d be a much more dangerous team. Hamish Stewart was excellent last week as well. His carrying has improved significantly and has to be next in line after Paisami at 12 for the Wallabies. He’ll benefit hugely with Beale at fullback, there’s just no better communicator in Australian rugby than him and his experience will make a huge difference for the Force. No one sees space like Beale and he’s still sharp. I can see Force making a late charge into the top 8 if they can get some consistency.
2 Go to commentsRodda will be a walk up starter at lock. Frost if you analyse his dominance has little impact and he’s a long way from being physical enough, especially when you compare to Rodda and the work he does. He was quite poor at the World Cup in his lack of physicality. Between Rodda and Skelton we would have locks who can dominate the breakdown and in contact. Frost is maybe next but Schmidt might go for a more physical lock who does their core work better like Ryan or LSL. Swain is no chance unless there’s a load of injuries. Pollard hasn’t got the scrum ability yet to be considered. Nasser dominated him when they went toe to toe and really showed him up. Picking Skelton effects who can play 6 and 8. Ideally Valetini would play 6 as that’s his best position and Wilson at 8 but that’s not ideal for lineout success. Cale isn’t physical enough yet in contact and defence but is the best backrow lineout jumper followed by Wright, Hanigan and Swinton so unfortunately Valetini probably will start at 8 with Wright or Hanigan at 6. Wilson on the bench, he’s got too much quality not to be in the squad. Paisami is leading the way at 12 but Hamish Stewart is playing extremely well also and his ball carrying has improved significantly. Beale is also another option based on the weekend. Beale is class but he’s also the best communicator of any Australian backline player and that can’t be underestimated, he’ll be in the mix.
8 Go to commentsWhy do people keep on picking Ardie at 7 when he's a ball in hand 8? A modern 7 is the lead tackler and ruck clearer which isn't his strength.
14 Go to commentsSly dig there at Ireland’s propensity to back a non-Irish coach. Must really want it. I’m not sure I like ROG very much. Comes off as unpleasant. But he’d gain my respect if he took a number 7 ranked team and turned them into WC winners. Not even back-to-back. Argentina? Scotland? Or how about Wales? France would be too easy, no?
1 Go to commentsA bit of sensationalism, but surprised by the comments about SBW. I’ve always thought of him as a pretty authentic person. There is nothing worse than working with a colleague you’ve seen straight through.
11 Go to comments100% agree with your comment about Touch. I’ve been playing it competitively since Covid. It’s on a Wednesday night after work. It means the weekend is free for time with my family.
2 Go to commentsRodda back is massively important for the Wallabies. Kaitu at hooker important too coz he was very good a few years ago.
2 Go to commentsThe pink cabous might be eligible this year and the Boks don’t need him
8 Go to commentsNasser and kaitu are options for hooker. Especially Nasser. You forgot Rodda who touch wood will be fit at test time and if fit he’s number one. Great partner for the great Skelton and Oz best lineout caller. Third best lock is LSL whom I’d be inclined to sub on for Skelton around 60 minutes. Probably start valetini at 8 because I like a big body back there. Cale should play 6 at the brumbies. For Wallabies definitely cale in the squad but as an apprentice. Dunno who starts at 6 seru wright Swinton hanigan with Will Harris and Harry Wilson not far away. Seru and Swinton my front runners but Swinton is going. Still if we don’t cap seru then Fiji must coz they need his lineout skills and easily compensate for his lack of weight
8 Go to commentsYeah but who was it?
11 Go to commentsThink you might have written this just before the Brumbies got thrashed last weekend
8 Go to commentsI really do believe that Billy Proctor should be selected at least in the larger squad but also it would be my choice at 13, much more a center than Ioane who can still play at wing. Roigard if fit should play, otherwise it should be Perenara or Christie. Also, Iose could deserve a spot at blindside. Of course, being a Canes supporter I’m biased but I really believe that at least Billy P is deserving a chance and being Holland one of the Selectors, I’m having a little hope he could grab it.
14 Go to commentsI would not play Swinton I’d pick Wright or Hanigan. The rest are decent starters, but can’t agree on any subs except Tupou. My take on the subs: Gibbon, Ueslese, Tupou, LSL, Wilson, White, Will Harrison, and Petaia.
8 Go to commentsSBW the biggest moron to pull on a black jersey a park footy player at best
11 Go to commentsSBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
11 Go to comments