Why Shannon Frizell is in pole position to reclaim the All Blacks' No 6 jersey this year
If you’ve watched the Highlanders this season, you’ll have been subjected to arguably the most inconsistent team in Super Rugby Aotearoa 2021.
For every stupendous win against title frontrunners such as the Crusaders, Chiefs and Blues, there have also been deflating defeats, as was seen against the Hurricanes last month and at Eden Park a fortnight beforehand.
Still, the Dunedin-based franchise remain an outside chance at making the competition’s grand final on May 8, provided they can pick up a revenge victory over the Hurricanes next Friday and that a slew of other results fall in their favour.
If the Highlanders are to gather some kind of consistency and defy their high-paying odds to reach the all-Kiwi finale, the influence of star loose forward Shannon Frizell will be crucial to their fortunes.
In a campaign that has seen the stuttering southerners often take one step forward and then two steps backwards, Frizell has been a fine example in constantly churning out excellent performance after excellent performance.
The blockbusting nature of the Tongan-born flanker’s talents has been well-known ever since he first burst onto the Super Rugby scene with an epic hat-trick of tries against the Blues in his debut season three years ago.
That sole outing ultimately led to a shock All Blacks call-up that same year, but his place in the national camp has never really been fully solidified amid a highly-competitive pool of loose forwards across New Zealand.
In his first year with the All Blacks, former coach Steve Hansen handed Frizell just four caps before he featured off the bench against the Springboks in the following year’s Rugby Championship.
That wasn’t enough to convince Hansen and his assistants to include the 27-year-old in the 2019 World Cup squad in what was an indicator of where he laid in the national pecking order.
Handed a reprieve via Luke Jacobson’s tournament-ending injury before the competition had even kicked-off, Frizell was called upon to feature against South Africa, Canada, Namibia and Wales, but his inclusion as injury cover showed he wasn’t considered a first-choice selection by the All Blacks.
That changed last year when he started in four of New Zealand’s six tests in a shortened test calendar on the back of some impressive displays in the newly-formed Super Rugby Aotearoa.
Some mixed performances in the first three Bledisloe Cup tests against the Wallabies ensued, but Frizell was then culled from the match day side in the wake of Argentina’s first-ever victory over the All Blacks in Parramatta last November.
"If you want to select a player capable of beating the best opposition in the world, chances are you wouldn’t look in Japan for him."
– Hamish Bidwell on why the All Black selection policies should change. https://t.co/XIxbk1Iw0p— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 19, 2021
Criticised by many for his lack of discipline and ineffectiveness against a powerhouse Los Pumas forward pack, Frizell’s performance in that fixture undid much of his good work to establish himself as New Zealand’s top pick at blindside flanker in the wake of the World Cup.
In his side’s next and final match of the Tri Nations, Frizell was replaced by Akira Ioane, the man long-heralded as a future test star who was finally beginning to reach his highly-touted potential with a string of compelling displays for the Blues and All Blacks.
Ioane continued that rich vein of form with a man-of-the-match display in Frizell’s absence to establish himself, in many people’s eyes, as the new first-choice No 6 heading into the 2021 season.
That mindset among the masses surely has to have changed at this point of Super Rugby Aotearoa, though, considering Frizell’s immense output and Ioane’s comparative downfall.
An explosive operator with ball in hand and a hard grafter without it, Frizell has set the tone for those looking to cement themselves as Jerome Kaino’s bona fide successor as New Zealand’s premier blindside flanker.
The 13-test back rower has shown many times over the years how much damage he can inflict on opposition players by charging his 1.95m, 108kg frame at the defensive line with little regard for his own well-being.
It’s almost surprising that he isn’t one of the numerous high-profile players dropping like flies due to injuries across New Zealand as a result of his confrontational style of play.
What’s more impressive, though, is his superb work rate, defensive efficiency and ability at the set piece – all of which were prominent aspects of Ioane’s game that thrust him to the All Blacks’ No 6 jersey by the end of 2020.
Not only has he lasted for the full 80 minutes of the Highlanders’ last five matches, the numbers Frizell has produced in those outings have been top notch.
As it stands with two rounds to play in the regular season of Super Rugby Aotearoa, no player in the competition has carried the ball as many times (78) as Frizell, nor has any other forward beaten as many defenders (20) as the ex-Tonga U20 representative.
Furthermore, his versatility as a genuine lineout option is reflected in the fact that he ranks fourth for lineout wins in Super Rugby Aotearoa (18), while he sits in the league’s top 10 tacklers with 59 to his name.
In Friday’s 35-29 win over the Blues alone, Frizell didn’t miss a beat as he completed all 11 of his tackle attempts, carried the ball 12 times and secured nearly half of his side’s 10 lineout throws.
Blues prop Alex Hodgman will play no further part in Super Rugby Aotearoa this season after copping a ban for his red card against the Highlanders on Friday. #SuperRugbyAotearoa https://t.co/drUW9xg5Aa
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 19, 2021
What can’t be relayed in statistics, though, is the vigour and commitment he put into that performance, two aspects of his game that have been ever-present all season.
That led Highlanders co-captain Ash Dixon to lather Frizell in praise for answering the franchise’s call to step up in place of the injured Liam Squire in the face of an all-star Blues loose forward trio.
“He’s taken it to a new level,” Dixon said of Frizell’s efforts in the post-match press conference.”I thought, tonight, he was immense. He was defensively sound, he carries the ball hard, and his work rate is pretty phenomenal.
“Like I said before, he was playing three All Blacks loosies [Ioane, Dalton Papalii and Hoskins Sotutu] and he stood up really well. For us, he’s been massive with Liam sidelined for the season.
“Someone needed to step up and play some minutes, and he’s been our go-to, so I hope he continues and keeps going as well as he does and it’ll be great for us. He’s been awesome.”
His sterling display against the Blues wasn’t just crucial in helping the Highlanders surge to victory, but it was also instrumental in elevating himself back into pole position in the race against Ioane for a place in the All Blacks’ No 6 jersey.
While Ioane hasn’t been bad by any means, he certainly hasn’t returned to his scintillating self of 2020 where he turned his long-standing deficiencies – work rate, defence and set piece ability – into strengths and highly-valued assets for whichever team he played for.
Instead, Frizell has been the shining light in all those respects, and, with the All Blacks set to face off teams with juggernaut forward packs such as the Springboks and France later this year, those qualities will be akin to gold for Ian Foster’s side.
That isn’t to say Ioane doesn’t remain one of New Zealand’s two best blindside flankers, even if head coach Leon MacDonald has opted for new skipper Tom Robinson in his starting lineups in recent weeks.
If last year is anything to go by, the 25-year-old clearly has the capability to foot it with Frizell and challenge for starting honours for the All Blacks leading into the next World Cup and beyond.
But, if Frizell continues his strong form at domestic level, it will be increasingly difficult to deny one of the Highlanders’ most consistent performers the All Blacks’ No 6 jersey in the coming months.
Comments on RugbyPass
James Lowe wouldn't get in any other 6N team. He's a great example of Farrell’s brilliance, and the Irish system. He is slow. His footwork is poor. But he fits perfectly in that Irish system, and has a superb impact. But put him in another team, and he'll look bang average.
3 Go to commentsCrusaders reached their heights through recruitment of North Island players, often leaving those NI teams bereft of key players. Example: Scott Barrett and Sam Whitelock robbed the Canes of their lineout and AB locks. For years the Canes have struggled at lock. This rabid recruitment was iniated by rule changes by a Crusader dominated NZR Head Office. Now this aggressive recruitment has back-fired, going after young inside back Hamilton Boys stars. They now have 4 Chiefs region 10s and not one with the requisite experience at Super level. Problems of their own making!
1 Go to commentsOver rated for a long time…exposed at scrum time too.
3 Go to comments“Firing me” should have been Gatland’s answer.
2 Go to commentsFinn Russell logic: “World” = 4 countries. Ireland may be at or near the top. FR’s bigger concern should be he and his fellow Scots (incl. the Bloemfontein ones) sliding back down to below top 10
42 Go to commentsMind games have begun. Ireland learned their lesson after saying they could beat England with 13 players or whatever. Still, if they win at Loftus, that would be impressive - final frontier etc.
58 Go to comments$950k for a Prop that isn’t fit enough to play 10 mins of rugby? Surely there is someone better to replace Big Mike with
3 Go to commentsFour Kiwis in that backline. A solid statement on the lack of invention, risk-taking and joy in the NH game; game of attrition and head- banging tedium. Longterm medical problems aplenty in the future!
3 Go to commentsGood article, I learnt quite a lot. A big sliding door moment was in the mid 00s when they rejected Steve Anderson's long term transformation and he wrote Ireland's strategy instead.
2 Go to commentsHi Dr Nick! I'm worried that I've started to enjoy watching England and have actually wanted them to win their last two games. What would you prescribe? On a more serious note, I've noticed that the standard of play in March is often better than early February. Do you think this is because of the weather or because the players have been together for longer?
13 Go to commentsMy question in all this brett is who is going to wear the consequences of these actions? Surely just getting the sack isn’t sufficient? A teenager working the till at woolies would probably get taken to court if they took $20 out of the till. You mean to tell me that someone can spend $2.6 million and get away with it? Where was it spent? What companies/people were the beneficiaries etc? How is it just being talked about as an ‘oopsie’ and we all just move on and not a matter of the court for gross negligence, fraud, take your pick…
18 Go to commentslove Manu too but England have relied on him coming back from injury for far too long and not sorted the position with someone else long term . It will be a blessing he has gone . Huge shame he was so injury prone . God speed Manu .
3 Go to commentsI agree with Ben Smith about Brett Cameron. The No. 6 position has to be a monster and a genuine lineout option, like Ollivon, Lawes (now Chessum), Du Toit, etc. The only player who fits that bill right now is Scott Barrett. A fit and fizzing Tuipolotu together with one of the young towers, Sam Darry or Josh Lord, would give Razor the freedom to play Barret at 6.
16 Go to commentsOutstanding article, Graham. Agree with all of it. And enjoy the style of writing too (particularly Grand Slap!).
3 Go to commentsI wouldn't pay a cent for that loafer. He just stands around, waiting for play to come his way. He won't make the Wallabies.
3 Go to commentsGood bit of te reo maori Nic. Or is that Niko or Nikora? On the theme of trees the Oaks v Totara. Game plan would be key. I have one but it would cost you.
13 Go to comments> Shaun Edwards’ You should not have to score 30 points to win a game, as exciting as it is. This statement was surprising to me. It is nonsensical .I guess it is a defence coach speaking. But head coach, defence and attacking coaches all work together. They are inseparable. You score more than the opposition to win. It only needs to be one score. You score whatever the game demands, whatever the opposition demand. You defend whatever it takes. The attack coach needs to be able to clock up 30pts if need be.
13 Go to commentsWho’d have thought, not having Farrell & Youngs kicking the ball at every possible opportunity and playing flat and allowing your centres to run and pass would pay off? No one could possibly have seen this coming. FML. It took a LONG time coming but at least that time has finally come. England need to find a backup to Lawrence. Freeman is the best candidate for me, I see no reason why he can't play 12. He's big, strong, fast and has great hands.
13 Go to commentsLove Manu but he's not the player he was and I imagine Bayonne have paid too much money for him.
3 Go to commentsNew Zealand have not beaten England since 2018 and even that was a pretty close shave.
1 Go to comments