Ex-All Black picks out his Nations Championship stars as South African ‘gazelle’ praised while surprise New Zealand selection ‘rises to the challenge’
Luke Jacobson alongside All Blacks team-mates and former Test hooker James Parsons.
Former hooker James Parsons has picked out a Springbok and an All Black as his star performers in the recent Nations Championship.
The 39-year-old hailed the efforts of forwards Cobus Wiese and Luke Jacobson for their displays in the mid-year Tests.
Both perhaps went slightly under the radar with the likes of Pieter-Steph du Toit, Paul de Villiers, Damian Willemse and Cobus’ brother, Jasper, earning the biggest plaudits while in action for South Africa.
As for Jacobson, there was a bit more chatter around the openside flanker given that he was a surprise All Blacks selection by Dave Rennie but, once the games started, Jordie Barrett, Cam Roigard and record-breaker Will Jordan got the most praise.
Shock All Blacks pick ‘rises to the challenge’
“To me, it’s the other Wiese. Cobus Wiese is like a gazelle, he’s an athlete and then a brute. You sort of think Eben Etzebeth and go, ‘where’s that guy?’ This guy is the guy,” Parsons said on the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
“When I go to the All Blacks, it’s probably Luke Jacobson; he has just risen to that challenge.
“I could probably go [Asafo] Aumua off the back of the Ireland game but I just think in terms of the three games.
“I expected Ruben Love, I expected Jordie Barrett, I expected Damian McKenzie, Will Jordan, I didn’t predict the loose forward trio – even the six in the squad – and Luke Jacobson has just been Superman.”
Young flanker De Villiers, who made his Test debut against England and played in all three Nations Championship games in July, was then suggested by the show’s hosts.
“Very good around the breakdown,” ex-Maori All Blacks scrum-half Bryn Hall, who joined Parsons on the podcast, said.
“Obviously, when it comes to that loose forward trio with that kind of build they’ve been able to do that and it’s another one, they just come through the factory.”
Ex-All Black less impressed
Parsons was less convinced, however, claiming that De Villiers was perhaps too involved, which led to a number of errors.
While the flanker’s work ethic was remarkable, the former All Black believes that he will eventually learn to pick and choose his moments.
“I’ve got him on my page but the reason I left him out is he’s going through a bit of the Harry Wilson’s. He had 23 touches, 18 carries and the next person was eight or nine, and he had five handling errors,” Parsons said.
“Hungry to get into it, but if you become that Test match player, it’s just picking your time and knowing that you don’t have to have 30 carries or 30 touches, and getting that balance with cleaning a few rucks.
“Malcolm Marx had one carry; we need Malcolm. There are a lot of weapons in there and it can become predictable to defend.
“There will always be that settling out phase. He hasn’t impressed me as much as Wiese.”