Sir John Kirwan reveals Ruben Love fly-half bow in the pipeline for ‘four or five years’ after being identified by All Blacks legend
Ruben Love and Beauden Barrett in action for the All Blacks.
Hurricanes star Ruben Love has long been seen as a future All Blacks fly-half, according to the legendary New Zealand back Sir John Kirwan.
The 25-year-old will make his first Test start in the position on Saturday when Dave Rennie’s side take on France in the Nations Championship.
Love will feature alongside ‘Canes team-mates Cam Roigard and Jordie Barrett, who take the scrum-half and inside centre roles respectively.
‘Needs to be 25 going on 50’
“Ruben has deserved it on form and Dave Rennie said he was going to pick on form. I think he’s done the majority of that and I understand why he hasn’t done it in some of the positions,” Kirwan said on the Rivals podcast.
“Ruben needs to get his opportunity and you also start building your depth there.
“A lot of us look at the ability of the man, and he’s got the ability, but it’s actually the ability to run the game plan, order people around, be confident. He needs to be 25 going on 50.
“When you talk to Foxy (Grant Fox), Ruben had been identified four or five years ago as someone who they were looking at to dominate at 10.”
Kirwan stated that he was “happy” with Rennie’s selections, albeit he wanted Beauden Barrett among the replacements as an insurance policy.
The new head coach opted against including a reserve 10 on the bench with Chiefs playmaker Damian McKenzie starting at full-back and covering that slot should Love go off.
“I probably would have put Beauden on the bench to cover that but probably what he’s saying is, ‘If I get an injury at 15, I’ve got Jordan to cover full-back and McKenzie can go to 10’, so he’s got a few options,” Kirwan said.
“I do think we’re a little bit light on the bench, I probably would have put Beauden there.”
Back three selection debate
With Love and McKenzie in the side Will Jordan has been shifted to the wing, a move which has not necessarily gone down well with the All Blacks supporters.
They would prefer to see him at full-back, while there are also doubts around his form and fitness having only played once for the Crusaders since early-April due to a troublesome calf.
“Will Jordan deserves his spot as an All Black because of how he’s performed in the past. This guy is a world-class player, X-factor player and can cut the game open at any moment,” Kirwan added.
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“One of the things Graham Henry and Steve Hansen did, they said: ‘If you’ve proved yourself as an All Black and you’re coming back from injury, we will take that into account’.
“I’m expecting Will to have a big one and I think the same goes for Damian McKenzie.
“He probably didn’t have the best final but he’s a world-class full-back and he’s proved that for the All Blacks, so that’s why they will be [picking him].”