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Dagg weighs in on All Blacks' 'confusing as hell' fullback selections
By Ned Lester
All Blacks coach Ian Foster has appeared resolute in his preferred selection of Beauden Barrett at fullback throughout the past 15 months, but a start for Damian McKenzie in the 15 jersey against Uruguay suggested there may be another option on the selection table.
McKenzie's form in Super Rugby Pacific as the architect of the Chiefs attack was destructive. Occupying the first receiver role, the 28-year-old piled pressure on defences with an unpredictable and evasive running game, helping his team to a near-perfect record in the competition.
Continuing that form with the All Blacks, McKenzie has had a run as both primary and secondary playmaker and looked equally effective at each.
The dual playmaker model has challenged the chemistry of New Zealand's playmakers since 2019's World Cup, and while McKenzie's form would see him ready to take centre stage under the bright lights of Paris, the lack of sample size of him playing next to first five-eighth Richie Mo'unga is cause for concern.
A man who has won a World Cup in the 15 jersey, Israel Dagg, says it may be too late for a changing of the guard.
"I just don't think that Fozzie (Ian Foster) will make that change," Dagg told SENZ Breakfast. "He's had four years to make that change and he hasn't made it. So, I don't think he's going to come out in the quarter-final and make that change.
"Look I've seen a lot from Damian, don't get me wrong, I've had to change my tune on Damian. I just think with Beauden being at fullback, there wouldn't be a position for Damian on the bench. But, there has to be a position for Damian on the bench with just how well he is playing.
"He's got that X-factor about him, he's got that randomness about him. Whether that's enough to win a big pressure moment in a quarter-final, well time will tell. He has to be in the conversation now.
"I don't think they'll change the fullback role. I think they'll stick tried and true with Richie Mo'unga at ten and Beauden at fullback, and Will Jordan on the wing with Mark Telea on the left.
"I think they'll just keep it the same as what we saw against Italy. It's just too late. Why would they do that now?
"It wouldn't surprise me, because they've been confusing as hell with some of the ways that they've approached these games. But, I think they'll stick tried and true to what they've done already and it'll be the same team."
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Latest Comments
GB is England, Scotland, Wales. They are the 3 constituent countries in Great Britain. Ergo playing only those three countries is a tour of GB. The difference between GB and the UK is Northern Ireland. It's not a huge deal to be accurate and call places by their correct name. But please refrain from your idiotic attempts to BS that GB=UK. It doesn't.
Go to commentsThe 2023 draw was only criticized when it became apparent that the top 5 sides in the world were on the same side of the draw. Nowhere did they discuss the decision to backtrack to 2019 rankings which ensured that England and Wales (ranked #12 in 2023) were ranked top4.
The parties who trashed out the schedule were England Rugby, NZ Rugby and ITV. It is bordering on corrupt that a Rugby nation has the power to schedule its opponents to play a major match the week before facing them in a QF.
You won't find commentary by members of the relevant committees because a committee did not make the scheduling decision. I have never heard members of World Rugby speak out on the draw or scheduling issues.
For example in 2015 Japan were hammered by Scotland 4 days after beating SA. The criticism only happens after a cock up.
A fair pool schedule is pretty straightforward: The lowest two tanked teams must play on last pool day but not against each other. That means that TV can focus on promoting big matches with a Tier2 involved for that Friday.
Why does NZ Always get its preferred slot playing the hardest pool match on day 1?
Why do other teams eg France, Ireland, Scotland get so often scheduled to play a hard match the week before the QFs?
If you believe the rules around scheduling are transparent then please point me in the right direction?
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