Justin Marshall claims All Blacks prospect like ‘Ma’a Nonu on steroids’ as Scott Robertson told he can rectify key weakness
Ma'a Nonu scoring a try for New Zealand in the 2015 Rugby World Cup final and former All Blacks scrum-half Justin Marshall.
All Blacks great Justin Marshall believes that Timoci Tavatavanawai can be their next Ma’a Nonu and has urged Scott Robertson to select him.
The Highlanders wing-cum-centre has begun the Super Rugby Pacific campaign in stunning fashion and was instrumental in his side defeating the defending champions Blues last weekend.
Tavatavanawai was absolutely superb as the Dunedin-based outfit secured a 29-21 triumph, with the powerful back showing his vast array of skills.
All-round skill set
He was superb with ball in hand, regularly making metres through contact, but the 27-year-old was similarly excellent in defence, winning three breakdown turnovers, and also produced a 50/22.
Appearing on The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast, Marshall raved about him, saying: “He’s a Ma’a Nonu on steroids. Look at the destruction he was able to cause after moving from the wing.”
The former All Blacks back was also effusive with his praise for Tavatavanawai when on the DSPN podcast with Martin Devlin.
Marshall believes that the Highlanders star has got everything you need to be a successful player at the international level.
“I like the way that he’s shifted from the wing to 12, it’s exactly what Ma’a Nonu did when he was part of his growing up process. He turned into one of the best 12s in the world,” he told DSPN.
“Tavatavanawai has got absolutely everything that the All Blacks need in terms of being able to build a weapon in that jersey.
“He can distribute, at the weekend he showed that he’s got a kicking game and we know how good he is over the ball. Defensively he’s really strong, he’s quick and he’s really hard to tackle – he brings in two defenders just about every time he’s got the ball.”
Tavatavanawai was born and raised in Fiji but Marshall believes that he wants to play for the All Blacks and the ex-scrum-half insists that Robertson must bring him in when the squad is named for the July series.
“I want to make a bold statement now. If Timoci Tavatavanawai is not in the conversation to be in the All Blacks then something’s wrong,” he said.
“He’s been eligible to play for Fiji and he’s said no because he wants to be an All Black. I don’t think it’s just, ‘Oh he had a great game at the weekend’, he’s had three consistent seasons of incredible form.
“Quite often he’s been getting man of the matches in the NPC.”
All Blacks centre combination
Centre has been a regular issue for the All Blacks over the years. It worked nicely at the 2023 Rugby World Cup when Jordie Barrett and Rieko Ioane combined, but that duo did not click in Robertson’s first year in charge.
Marshall therefore believes that Tavatavanawai could be the answer, provided that the New Zealand head coach is willing to bring him in.
“If they’re not actually thinking, ‘How can we utilise this guy? How can we bring him into the All Blacks?’ then they’re not watching the right pictures,” he added.
“If he continues to play well I certainly feel he’s a guy that the All Blacks should be looking at for our midfield.
“He can play 12, he can play 13. Those are areas they have said we need to reinforce and don’t have enough depth in. He has to be in the conversation, 100 per cent. From what I’ve seen, there is some real talent there.”
READ MORE: All Blacks great Ma’a Nonu makes stunning return to European giants at 42
