Ex-All Blacks fly-half hails ‘more flexible’ Scott Robertson after Steve Borthwick’s ‘huge error’
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson and England's George Ford with an insert of Stephen Donald.
World Cup-winning All Blacks fly-half Stephen Donald has praised Scott Robertson’s more flexible approach in the victory over England.
Donald, who famously slotted a penalty in the 2011 World Cup final victory for New Zealand, was pleased that the All Blacks head coach changed his approach to the use of his replacements in contrast to that of Steve Borthwick.
This year, the All Blacks have struggled in the final quarter of Test matches with Robertson’s side failing to score any points in the final 20 minutes of all but one of their Rugby Championship matches.
However, against England, they bucked that trend with Damian McKenzie slotting a crucial penalty in the 66th minute before he converted Mark Tele’a’s try with five minutes left to play, putting the All Blacks 24-22 ahead – a lead which they would not relinquish.
The change of fortunes in the latter stages of the Test match has been credited to the All Blacks’ change of tactics around the use of their bench, with the replacement front-rowers, lock Patrick Tuipulotu and half-backs Cam Rogiard and McKenzie all making positive contributions.
Hard decisions for the All Blacks
McKenzie was injected into the game in the place of Tele’a with starting fly-half Beauden Barrett shifting to full-back and Will Jordan moving to the wing. Tele’a would return after Barrett left the field due to a head knock.
While ex-All Blacks winger Jeff Wilson was pleased by the performance of the bench, he explained that he is still not comfortable with the way that Robertson shifts his backline around during a match.
“There’s some hard decisions when they make changes because it’s who they take off so Tele’a was playing so well but to leave Will Jordan on the park, you’ve got Damian McKenzie coming on at full-back and then you’re moving guys around and that’s something I’m not entirely comfortable with,” he said on Sky Sport’s Breakdown.
“Because Will Jordan’s my full-back, I think maybe we need to trust and if you are going to make a change at 10, just make the change at 10 and leave the guys in the positions where they are playing well.”
“Don’t change your 10 if everything’s going swimmingly”
Donald agreed with Wilson and pointed to how England boss Borthwick hooked fly-half, Marcus Smith, off the pitch and brought on George Ford in his place. Smith was enjoying a fine performance at Twickenham while Ford had a mare missing a crucial tackle on Tele’a as well as a penalty and a drop goal.
“We saw from England that if things are going well at 10 or in those positions [don’t make the change],” Donald said.
“I think earlier on in the year we [the All Blacks] were a bit predetermined in that right 60th-minute mark, this is happening, 50th-minute mark this is happening and today we were a bit more flexible.
“If you contrast that with England taking off Smith with 20 to go when I thought that he was well and truly in control of the game, he was faultless off the tee, it was a huge error. Just because oh we’ve got Ford there better chuck him out there, you don’t change your ten if everything’s going swimmingly.”
Robertson has confirmed that the All Blacks will need to make a change at fly-half for the clash against Ireland on Friday evening after Barrett failed his HIA on Saturday.
This means that McKenzie will likely reclaim the starting role while Harry Plummer has been recalled to the squad as a cover.
The All Blacks will also be without hooker Codie Taylor who sustained a concussion in the opening minutes of the win over England, with uncapped front-rower Brodie McAlister earning his first call-up to the squad.
