All Blacks great proved wrong by surprising Dave Rennie decision as head coach finds player who can ‘unlock Peter Lakai and Ardie Savea’
Peter Lakai scoring for the All Blacks against France and former Test star Israel Dagg.
Israel Dagg has admitted that the Luke Jacobson selection left him “scratching my head” but that his opinion changed once he saw the flanker in action for the All Blacks.
Head coach Dave Rennie sprung a surprise be picking the Chiefs openside in New Zealand’s back-row for their clash with France on Saturday.
Jacobson has been a consistently excellent performer for his franchise in Super Rugby Pacific, but has often been on the fringes of the Test side.
Injuries have not helped his cause. At his best he is an outstanding player, but few, including Dagg, expected him to be involved in the matchday 23 in Christchurch.
Back-row balance
Rennie felt he would add balance to a loose trio that also included Peter Lakai and captain Ardie Savea, and that proved to be the case. “Luke Jacobson was absolutely outstanding, I must say,” Dagg said on Sport Nation’s Sam and Izzy show.
“I was probably scratching my head at the start of last week about Luke Jacobson and that seven position, but I walked away thinking, ‘that’s our guy, that’s the guy who’s going to unlock Peter Lakai and Ardie Savea’.
“Everyone’s talked about Luke Jacobson being concrete shoulders. Well, I was sitting on halfway and there was a shot against the opposition French lock which sent shivers like the thunder strikes in Tauranga right up the stands.
“It was a hell of a noise, a hell of a shot and I thought, ‘okay, that’s the reason why Luke Jacobson’s in the team and that’s why they call him concrete shoulders’.”
Jacobson’s work up front made it much easier for Cam Roigard, who had lightning quick ball to work with at scrum-half.
Roigard cemented himself as one of the best half-backs in the world with an outstanding display as he scored two tries in the 34-32 victory over France.
Better than Dupont?
Some believe that he has even overtaken Antoine Dupont to claim that mantle having performed at a consistently high level over the past 12 months.
The 25-year-old is utterly vital to the All Blacks’ cause at the moment and Dagg duly raved about his performance against the French.
“Cam Roigard is on another level. He just plays his own game, he’s very fit, very fast, he makes great decisions with ball in hand,” he said.
“He’s always testing that first and second defender around the ruck, he’s making great decisions on a flat ball pass to that attacking player. Cam Roigard is on another planet, he’s such a joy to watch.”