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The big winners from the first three All Blacks Tests of the year
The big winners from the first three All Blacks Tests of the year

1News

time21-07-2025

  • Sport
  • 1News

The big winners from the first three All Blacks Tests of the year

Analysis: Lock Fabian Holland was the best of the new crop, while a super-sub midfielder proved he is too valuable for the bench, writes Patrick McKendry. The hard data on the first three Tests of the year is in for All Blacks coach Scott Robertson, who will have seen several newcomers repay his faith, including Fabian Holland and Du'Plessis Kirifi, and several veterans enhance their reputations, most obviously Beauden Barrett and younger brother Jordie. Holland, the 22-year-old Netherlands-born lock with one of the better backstories at this level, looked every inch the international second-rower over three 80-minute Tests, with Kirifi displaying an impressive maturity in adapting to his late call-up to start Saturday's 29-19 victory over France in Hamilton. Beauden Barrett's stocks, meanwhile, probably rose after the weekend despite not being involved in the Test due to a hand fracture which Robertson is confident will heal in time for the start of the Rugby Championship next month. Barrett brought a calmness to the first two Tests that was not evident at Waikato Stadium under Damian McKenzie's stewardship, although that should be mitigated by the experimental look to the All Blacks line-up which clearly exacerbated the lack of cohesion. ADVERTISEMENT There is no doubt either than Jordie is by far the nation's best second-five and, if anything, his sabbatical at Irish club Leinster appears to have moulded him into a more complete Test player. Used to running against big European defenders, Jordie, who replaced Quinn Tupaea ahead of the final quarter, was the perfect player to break down the stubborn French resistance due to his willingness to charge headlong into metaphorical brick walls. It took bravery to consistently do that and also sent a message that Jordie, a late inclusion to the bench due to Rieko Ioane's hamstring issue on the eve of the match, was a threat every time he got the ball. It was Jordie's decisiveness to take on France replacement lock Romain Taofifenua – all 2.0m and 135kg of him – which led to Brodie McAlister's game-sealing try. His scramble back on defence to close out the flying Emilien Gailleton in the corner when his team was defending a 22-19 lead should not be underestimated either. Jordie Barrett, left, and brother Beauden after the first Test in Dunedin. (Source: Photosport) Tupaea, in his first Test in three years, appeared stretched at times as he re-adjusted to the pace of Test rugby. The All Blacks squad dispersed yesterday but one of Tupaea's review clips will likely feature an attack in the first half when his side, trailing 10-16 at the time, won excellent ball from a quick lineout in their own territory and McKenzie found him in a lot of space with Anton Lienert-Brown, Ruben Love and Will Jordan outside him. ADVERTISEMENT It was a four-on-two situation but, rather than exploit that with the array of attacking talent at his disposal, Tupaea cut back in, was tackled, and then penalised for not releasing the ball. French captain Gael Fickou showed his experience at the breakdown by coming in from the side and disrupting the All Blacks' support players. Robertson was clearly happy with the impact of his bench in Hamilton, and rightly so given the physicality of prop George Bower, hooker Brodie McAlister and loose forward Dalton Papali'i, but Jordie made the largest contribution and a problem for the head coach is that the 28-year-old is too valuable to be on the bench for the biggest Tests. Veteran hooker Codie Taylor's performances over the first two Tests also underlined his importance to the side, while Ardie Savea, installed as captain after Scott Barrett's calf tear in Dunedin, was his usual inspirational self. Will Jordan, who scored his 41st Test try in his 43rd Test at the weekend, is clearly the nation's best outside back – no matter where he plays in the back three. A word, too, on Tupou Vaa'i, the converted blindside flanker who was missed by his team in Hamilton. He may have been a reluctant convert from lock when first asked to play in the black No.6 jersey at the 2023 World Cup but he proved in Dunedin and Wellington that he has the instincts to excel there. With prop Tamaiti Williams (knee) and Wallace Sititi (ankle) to return, the All Blacks' pack will feature, power, pace and creativity for the upcoming Tests against Argentina, South Africa and Australia, starting with the Pumas in Cordoba on August 17. ADVERTISEMENT Look out, too, for the inclusion of the returning Leicester Fainga'anuku, a midfielder or wing who possesses all of the above qualities, for the Rugby Championship squad of 36 that Robertson will name on August 4.

Jordie Barrett: Leinster frontload their All Blacks superstar for Zebre
Jordie Barrett: Leinster frontload their All Blacks superstar for Zebre

Irish Daily Mirror

time10-05-2025

  • Sport
  • Irish Daily Mirror

Jordie Barrett: Leinster frontload their All Blacks superstar for Zebre

Jordie Barrett will start against Zebre at The Aviva this afternoon, the All Black having had to watch most of last week's Northampton Champions Cup semi-final debacle from the Cullen frontloads his superstar centre this time around - along with six starting Lions and a further three on the bench - as he looks to restore the club to winning ways at first go."Jordie knows exactly, he understood the decision, it was a complex decision," says Cullen of leaving him on the bench last Saturday."I think everyone's like 'yeah, let's get Jordie out there', I understand the question, absolutely."But if you think, he's been centre for us, whether no12 or no13, and at no15 but we've got two guys who've got selected on the Lions as a no13 and as a no15 and a guy that's started the last day who has been on the last two Lions Tours so it's not a shortage of options."The feeling was Jordie will give impact, which he did. He's coming in for 15 minutes and he will impact for us."It's a little too late people will argue but, again, that's with hindsight - against 'Quins, I thought it worked well and he came in and started the Glasgow game six days later."So again, it's the benefit of hindsight, we thought we are doing what's best for the group but we didn't get the desired outcomes so we just need to deal with the consequences of that."For their part, Zebre's return of five wins and a draw from 16 outings so far this season has been their best return for a long time."I've watched a lot of their games this year, they beat Munster at the start of the season (42-33, round two), their win against Ulster (15-14) in Belfast in January when they're away from home was very impressive, just the way they went about attacking that game."We were in South Africa playing Bulls at the same time as their Sharks game in mid-March, and it was 35-34, so tight (the winning Sharks conversion was six minutes from time)."In the last few weeks they drew against Edinburgh (25-25 in Parma) and lost against Glasgow (6-14 in Parma) but bombed a couple of chances that day."The stakes are high for all of the Leinster games in the wake of the Champions League defeat last weekend and on to the end of the season, it's inconceivable that such a high achieving organisation could go a fourth season without a trophy - or is it? Says Jamie Osborne: "I think we all know that our seasons are going to be judged on trophies. We haven't done that for four years now. "I haven't really been a part of a trophy winning season at all so the motivation is very high. And yeah, like, we've fallen short in the semi final of the URC for three years in a row now. "It's a competition that is really competitive and you know, whatever happens in the league, the regular season, doesn't really matter when it comes to knockout games so we need to be be better, better in that, this year." Zebre Parma Head Coach Massimo Brunello is under no illusions, his side may have to handle a backlash! "We're heading into our final away match in Dublin, against the strongest team in the league, who have proven all year to be complete and solid in every area — they've only lost two matches in the BKT URC. "Our goal is definitely to rise to the occasion again, as we've done in other games: playing against a side like this, and in such a stadium, gives us extra motivation.' All eyes down so for the run to the end of the season and there is no need to rotate or rest players. It is Zebre this week, Glasgow next week, a week's rest, the quarter-final the following week with the semi-finals and final week on week from there. Leinster: Jamie Osborne, Jimmy O'Brien, Garry Ringrose, Jordie Barrett, James Lowe, Sam Prendergast, Luke McGrath, Jack Boyle, Rónan Kelleher, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, Diarmuid Mangan, Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan (CAPT)Replacements: John McKee, Andrew Porter, Rabah Slimani, James Ryan, James Culhane, Jamison Gibson-Park, Ciarán Frawley, Robbie HenshawZebre Parma: Jacopo Trulla, Scott Gregory, Fetuli Paea, Enrico Lucchin, Simone Gesi, Giovanni Montemauri, Gonzalo Garcia, Luca Franceschetto, Giampietro Ribaldi, Juan Pitinari, Rusiate Nasove, Leonard Krumov, Bautista Stavile, Iacopo Bianchi, Davide Ruggeri (CAPT)Replacements: Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Muhamed Hasa, Ion Neculai, Matteo Canali, Giacomo Ferrari, Alessandro Fusco, Giacomo Da Re, Filippo Drago Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email.

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