All Blacks and Wallabies greats agree on ‘absolute rubbish’ verdict regarding Australia star’s absence for Bledisloe Cup Tests

Former Wallaby Jeremy Paul and ex-All Blacks Justin Marshall and Kieran Read are in agreement that the length of Australia centre Hunter Paisami’s recent suspension for foul play was too harsh.

Inside centre Paisami will miss Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup Test in Auckland and the rematch in Sydney on October 17 after he initially received a six-match suspension for a dangerous tackle on Springboks fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu during a one-off Test which the Wallabies won in Perth last month.

However, Paisami appealed that decision in a bid to feature in those Bledisloe Cup Tests, but his suspension was only reduced by two weeks.

Marshall, Paul and Read appeared on The Good, The Bad & Rugby Australia & New Zealand podcast and were previewing this weekend’s Bledisloe opener at Eden Park when Marshall raised the issue of the Wallabies‘ preparations being disrupted due to Paisami’s suspension and doubts over the fitness of his midfield partner Len Ikitau, who limped off the field early in the second half against the Boks due to an ankle injury.

‘I thought it was an absolute joke’

“Obviously it (the win over the Boks) didn’t come without some casualties,” said the former All Blacks scrum-half. “So, we’ve obviously seen Len Ikitau leave the field, now whether or not he’s going to be fit to play, not sure and if he’s not, equally the suspension of Hunter Paisami which to be perfectly honest, I thought it was an absolute joke.

“The fact that they gave him six weeks for that, reduced to four, like there was no consequence to Feinberg-Mngomezulu, he stayed on the field, no HIA, it shows that the amount of contact was minimal and for them to suspend him for that long, I think it’s a real shame.

“So, already the (Wallabies) midfield’s been affected, so in terms of prep, you’ve had a really decent physical game and a good win which will boost confidence and managed to beat that very good Springbok side, that would beat many teams in the world.

“Let’s face it, regardless of the side they (South Africa) put out, it was still a very good side when you’ve got Pollard pulling the strings, so yeah but that must obviously then now need a pivot and probably, possibly (Joseph) Suaalii having to switch positions into the midfield, but that rhythm is going to be affected.”

Paul agreed that it’s a huge setback that the Wallabies’ first-choice centre partnership has been broken up but revealed that Ikitau’s injury should not prevent him from playing against the All Blacks in Auckland.

“Absolutely Marshy. Look when I was talking about preparation, I was just talking about the opposition but in terms of ours, they have a huge blow, massive, I believe Len Ikitau’s is bone bruising so there’s a real strong chance that he will be back,” he said.

“It makes sense to move Len back to 12, Suaalii to 13 (from wing), mind you young Isaac Henry, he really impressed with his debut, isn’t he massive right?

Wallabies centre banned after dangerous tackle on Springboks fly-half and misses All Blacks Tests

“Like that Nathan Gray type of like sort of inside centre, that real sort of stocky ball runner. He can play 13 as well but look, Jordan Petaia came back into the squad which was interesting.

“Potentially for that midfield cover, you’ve got Filipo Daugunu as well that could potentially play there, but it’s devastating for us, when we found this great combination.”

The show’s host Andy Rowe then asked Paul for his opinion on Paisami’s suspension and the ex-Wallabies hooker gave a blunt response.

“It’s absolutely rubbish, it’s rubbish Andy,” he said. “Look, we’ve discussed this at length and again I believe the outcome of the event itself needs to be taken into what the actual sentence is or the amount of weeks.

‘We’re trying to obviously send a message’

“He got back up, no HIA, now if he was knocked out, yes, six weeks, I get it. Though, we’re trying to obviously send a message and continually stay hard on that message, so, you just got to cop it, you cop it on the chin.

“That’s what we’re trying to do is build a squad right, we’re trying to build a squad where players can slip in and out but why did it have to happen in that midfield, god damn it.”

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Former All Blacks skipper and number eight Read echoed Marshall and Paul’s sentiments, saying: “I look at that Hunter Paisami incident and I go, ‘He’s not coming in to make the (tackle)’. Because he’s got to defend another three, four players outside him.

“So, he’s coming in upright because he (Paisami) knows he has to get back out if he (Feinberg-Mngomezulu) passes and because he did the job of coming all the way into the defender, there’s no way he (Paisami) can kind of do both.

“So, he (Paisami) had to kind of commit there, there’s no force in terms of going forward at him, so you know, it doesn’t make sense to me.”

READ MORE: Wallabies: Les Kiss gives circumspect verdict on Hunter Paisami’s suspension for Bledisloe Cup Tests