All Blacks great’s verdict on Ardie Savea’s role as Scott Robertson ‘mucks around’
Legendary back-rower Murray Mexted has weighed into the All Blacks' back-row debate.
Legendary All Blacks back-rower Murray Mexted has weighed in on the make-up of Scott Robertson’s loose trio and where Ardie Savea should play.
In 2023, New Zealand looked to have found the perfect balance in their back-row, with Shannon Frizell, ex-captain Sam Cane and Savea steering the side to the Rugby World Cup final.
This year, all three players plied their trade in Japan and while Savea and Cane are currently in the All Blacks squad, Frizell is ineligible for selection, having signed a long-term deal with Toshiba Brave Lupus. Cane is also set to retire from international rugby at the end of the year.
This has left the All Blacks’ loose trio in murky waters, with Robertson still searching for his best combination as many question whether Savea is best suited for the number eight jersey.
Loose forwards underwhelm against Argentina
Following the defeat to Argentina in the Rugby Championship opener, the loose forwards have come under the spotlight once again and Mexted believes that the performances of Ethan Blackadder, Dalton Papali’i and Savea against Los Pumas were a big factor in the defeat, but he has offered a solution to solving the back-row conundrum.
Mexted says that “nobody knows” if the loose trio that tasted defeat against Argentina are playing in the right positions but believes that the scoreline and a record number of points scored against an All Blacks team in New Zealand is a reflection of their performances.
“In the old days and I don’t think it is too dissimilar now but when the opposition scores a lot of tries, you have to look at the loose forwards because they are there to clean up the messy attacks or breaking of the defensive line and stuff like that,” he told SENZ.
“Look at the number of points that were scored against us, the loose forwards aren’t right. They haven’t settled on a Test match loose trio yet and they need to pretty quickly, we have a challenge ahead of us in that department and there will be changes there I’m sure.
Zoning in on the skipper against Argentina, Savea, Mexted said that he worked with the All Blacks star as his position-specific coach before he broke onto the international stage and believes that he is a force whether he is at number eight or seven.
“We decided that he would be an openside flanker because he probably wouldn’t grow to 6ft5 like Kieran Read. He came in as a number eight and left as a seven or eight because the roles nowadays are very similar,” he explained.
“In my view, Ardie is an outstanding rugby player and competitor with a great skill set and he can play equally well in both positions. It is just a matter of whether we have another seven or eight that is as good as him which decides his position and you’d battle to find the answer to that question because there isn’t an heir apparent to Ardie at eight.”
Mucking around at seven
To get the best out of Savea, Mexted adds that the All Blacks need to get a proper openside flanker who is a “hunter and gatherer” and in his opinion, Papali’i does not fit the template.
“We are mucking around at seven too. We are playing a guy [Papali’i] now at seven who I believe is more of a blindside flanker,” he added.
“The role of a seven hasn’t changed, the role is being a hunter and a gatherer and Ardie does that really well.
“In my mind, our best hunter and gatherer is Sam Cane because he played with and under Richie McCaw for many years and they are both hunters and gatherers – I think we will see him return to seven.
“We have a tried and true number eight and openside flanker in Ardie Savea and Sam Cane, now they just need to get the blindside flanker right.
“But that blindside flanker needs to win aerial possession and that’s fundamental – you have more guys contesting in the air than ever before.
