All Blacks: Justin Marshall’s verdict on ‘flawless’ rising star who could solve Scott Robertson’s big issue
Current All Blacks scrum-half Cam Roigard box-kicking and legendary New Zealand number nine Justin Marshall.
All Blacks great Justin Marshall has backed Dylan Pledger to go to the very top after his impressive season for Otago in the NPC.
The scrum-half is just 20 and, after starring for New Zealand’s age-grade side in the World Rugby U20 Championship in June and July, he has taken that form into the country’s domestic competition.
Featuring for one of the more unfancied sides in the NPC, Pledger has played a key role in helping them to the final of the tournament.
Missed out on northern hemisphere tour
However, despite his outstanding form, he has missed out on touring with either the All Blacks and, more surprisingly, the second-string All Blacks XV.
It shouldn’t be long before the livewire playmaker receives international recognition, though, providing he takes that form into Super Rugby Pacific next season.
“First of all, his core skills are flawless; he’s got a good kicking game. I haven’t been massively critical but I have questioned some of our kicking strategy from our All Blacks half-backs. Not having the right height, the right distance on it for us to then be competitive in the air,” Marshall told Sport Nation’s The Rugby Run.
“You talk about aerial battle, the aerial battle is all about the kick and the chase. You always talk about that, it’s the basic of the game.”
Cam Roigard is currently the first choice All Blacks half-back and is regarded as one of the best nines in the world, but Scott Robertson’s side have struggled in the aerial game.
There has been an obvious weakness when New Zealand are receiving kicks, but Marshall also feels that they are struggling when they have the ball.
“The kick is only as good as the chase but, equally, the chaser has to have something to chase, he has to have a competitive high kick where the opposition are under pressure to take it or deal with it,” he said.
“I feel that Pledger has got that. I’ve watched his kicking game and it’s very, very good. He’s got the right balance in terms of height, length and distance, and he is giving his chasers an opportunity to win that battle in the air.”
Pledger’s important area of strength
Marshall then moved on to his other strengths and that included perhaps the most important facet of all, which is decision-making.
“His passing is great, I think everybody can see that – it doesn’t stand out as being a weakness for me – and then the support play,” he added.
“The real difference that he has made for that side is he is making good decisions and, as a half-back, making good decisions is instrumental to the functionality of the team.
“When I say making good decisions, you make the decision on who to choose as your runner and when the timing is right to go right or to go left. He just seems to be able to pick them out.
“It’s just an intelligence to know when you’ve just got to pull the trigger because you haven’t got time. You’ve just got to know exactly when you see the picture in front of you and you pick the right players out.
“To me, that type of decision-making makes a huge difference to the way that the team functions and plays.”
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