Justin Marshall is sounding the alarm on the All Blacks’ cautious approach to player selection under coach Scott Robertson, predicting it could backfire spectacularly. Despite a slew of debuts this year, only Fabian Holland has emerged as a regular fixture in the squad. While Simon Parker and Leroy Carter are starting to show their worth, Marshall argues that the selection strategy still lacks audacity.
Marshall's concerns aren't just about the upcoming Rugby World Cup but also about other prestigious tournaments. "That’s what we’ve got to start thinking about. I bang the drum, and I won’t ever stop banging it, about the way that I feel about my rugby in terms of the All Blacks and the way that in my mind they have to win every Test in front of them," he passionately conveyed to Sport Nation’s The Rugby Run.
"When I say future planning, future planning is not for a World Cup because a World Cup isn’t everything for me as a former All Black."
He reminisced about the rarity of a Grand Slam tour and highlighted the importance of depth for the challenging tour to South Africa next year, emphasizing the necessity for a well-rounded team capable of handling midweek games and tests. "The fact that we’ve not pulled the trigger on a couple of players knowing what we’re going to face in South Africa next year with midweek games, as well as Test matches. We’re going to need depth," Marshall stressed.
The upcoming northern hemisphere tour sees Tevita Mafileo as the only uncapped player in the All Blacks squad, with a second-string All Blacks XV set to face the Barbarians, England A, and Uruguay. However, the exclusion of Otago prodigy Dylan Pledger from the squad has Marshall particularly irked. He advocates for giving talented yet inexperienced players like Pledger a chance.
"They don’t seem to want to take that risk. If I hear, ‘ah no, he’s too young’, honestly I will lose my s*** because that’s not what it’s about. It’s about talent."
Reflecting on his own early days in the All Blacks alongside legends like Andrew Mehrtens, Jonah Lomu, and Christian Cullen, Marshall emphasized that age shouldn't be a barrier to inclusion if the skill and potential are evident. "We’ve got to find out about players. When I got thrown into the All Blacks, I was only 21... They were great players," he recalled, making a strong case for why emerging talents deserve their shot, regardless of their youth.
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Justin Marshall is sounding the alarm on the All Blacks’ cautious approach to player selection under coach Scott Robertson, predicting it could backfire spectacularly. Despite a slew of debuts this year, only Fabian Holland has emerged as a regular fixture in the squad. While Simon Parker and Leroy Carter are starting to show their worth, Marshall argues that the selection strategy still lacks audacity.
Marshall's concerns aren't just about the upcoming Rugby World Cup but also about other prestigious tournaments. "That’s what we’ve got to start thinking about. I bang the drum, and I won’t ever stop banging it, about the way that I feel about my rugby in terms of the All Blacks and the way that in my mind they have to win every Test in front of them," he passionately conveyed to Sport Nation’s The Rugby Run.
"When I say future planning, future planning is not for a World Cup because a World Cup isn’t everything for me as a former All Black."
He reminisced about the rarity of a Grand Slam tour and highlighted the importance of depth for the challenging tour to South Africa next year, emphasizing the necessity for a well-rounded team capable of handling midweek games and tests. "The fact that we’ve not pulled the trigger on a couple of players knowing what we’re going to face in South Africa next year with midweek games, as well as Test matches. We’re going to need depth," Marshall stressed.
The upcoming northern hemisphere tour sees Tevita Mafileo as the only uncapped player in the All Blacks squad, with a second-string All Blacks XV set to face the Barbarians, England A, and Uruguay. However, the exclusion of Otago prodigy Dylan Pledger from the squad has Marshall particularly irked. He advocates for giving talented yet inexperienced players like Pledger a chance.
"They don’t seem to want to take that risk. If I hear, ‘ah no, he’s too young’, honestly I will lose my s*** because that’s not what it’s about. It’s about talent."
Reflecting on his own early days in the All Blacks alongside legends like Andrew Mehrtens, Jonah Lomu, and Christian Cullen, Marshall emphasized that age shouldn't be a barrier to inclusion if the skill and potential are evident. "We’ve got to find out about players. When I got thrown into the All Blacks, I was only 21... They were great players," he recalled, making a strong case for why emerging talents deserve their shot, regardless of their youth.