Amid the buildup to the highly anticipated rematch against the Springboks, All Blacks legend Israel Dagg has issued a stern warning to head coach Scott Robertson: Don’t mess with a winning formula. After securing a 24-17 victory at Eden Park, the All Blacks are positioned well in the Rugby Championship, but as the teams gear up for their next clash in Wellington, the temptation to rotate could be high, especially after the Boks’ head coach Rassie Erasmus made substantial changes to his lineup.
While the Springboks are shaking things up, Dagg advocates for stability in the All Blacks camp. On the Sport Nation’s Scotty and Izzy show, Dagg emphasized the importance of consistency.
“You have to start building continuity in selection, you have to start building those relationships. They got a result, I think it will be the wrong message to send to go out there and make some unforced changes for no reason whatsoever,”
he explained. Dagg firmly believes the team that played last week has earned the right to prove themselves once more against the Springboks.
However, not all decisions will be voluntary. With injuries to Emoni Narawa and Codie Taylor, adjustments are inevitable. Samisoni Taukei’aho is expected to step in for Taylor as hooker. The more intriguing question lies in the reshuffling of the back three, where options include shifting Will Jordan to the wing, positioning Rieko Ioane on the left, and slotting Damian McKenzie in at full-back, or introducing a specialist like Caleb Clarke or Leicester Fainga’anuku.
Dagg has a clear preference for handling the wing vacancy. He suggested Caleb Clarke is the ideal choice, noting his formidable presence and recent performance.
“I think Caleb Clarke’s skills and his strengths suit this Test match. He destroyed the Springboks with the ball in the air and his big running. He’s a big body, so if they’re going to make that decision to keep Will at full-back and bring in another winger, I think Caleb Clarke is going to get the nod,”
Dagg added, recalling Clarke’s dominance in previous encounters against South Africa.
As the All Blacks finalize their lineup, the focus is clear: leverage their strengths and maintain the strategic continuity that brought them victory at Eden Park. With seasoned players like Clarke ready to step up, New Zealand looks poised to tackle the Springboks challenge head-on in Wellington.
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Amid the buildup to the highly anticipated rematch against the Springboks, All Blacks legend Israel Dagg has issued a stern warning to head coach Scott Robertson: Don’t mess with a winning formula. After securing a 24-17 victory at Eden Park, the All Blacks are positioned well in the Rugby Championship, but as the teams gear up for their next clash in Wellington, the temptation to rotate could be high, especially after the Boks’ head coach Rassie Erasmus made substantial changes to his lineup.
While the Springboks are shaking things up, Dagg advocates for stability in the All Blacks camp. On the Sport Nation’s Scotty and Izzy show, Dagg emphasized the importance of consistency.
“You have to start building continuity in selection, you have to start building those relationships. They got a result, I think it will be the wrong message to send to go out there and make some unforced changes for no reason whatsoever,”
he explained. Dagg firmly believes the team that played last week has earned the right to prove themselves once more against the Springboks.However, not all decisions will be voluntary. With injuries to Emoni Narawa and Codie Taylor, adjustments are inevitable. Samisoni Taukei’aho is expected to step in for Taylor as hooker. The more intriguing question lies in the reshuffling of the back three, where options include shifting Will Jordan to the wing, positioning Rieko Ioane on the left, and slotting Damian McKenzie in at full-back, or introducing a specialist like Caleb Clarke or Leicester Fainga’anuku.
Dagg has a clear preference for handling the wing vacancy. He suggested Caleb Clarke is the ideal choice, noting his formidable presence and recent performance.
“I think Caleb Clarke’s skills and his strengths suit this Test match. He destroyed the Springboks with the ball in the air and his big running. He’s a big body, so if they’re going to make that decision to keep Will at full-back and bring in another winger, I think Caleb Clarke is going to get the nod,”
Dagg added, recalling Clarke’s dominance in previous encounters against South Africa.As the All Blacks finalize their lineup, the focus is clear: leverage their strengths and maintain the strategic continuity that brought them victory at Eden Park. With seasoned players like Clarke ready to step up, New Zealand looks poised to tackle the Springboks challenge head-on in Wellington.