Even though Damian McKenzie has shone as the Blacks’ starting fly-half in their last two Tests, Justin Marshall and Kieran Read don’t expect him to fulfil that role when Richie Mo’unga returns to action.
After starting at full-back in the All Blacks’ first seven Tests of the year, during the first leg of the Nations Championship in July and the Test series against the Springboks, McKenzie was shifted to fly-half for the recent Bledisloe Cup Tests, after Ruben Love and Richie Mo’unga were ruled out due to injuries.
Delivered superb performances at fly-half against Australia
McKenzie made full use of the opportunities he received in the number 10 jersey as he delivered two outstanding performances in the All Blacks‘ victories over the Wallabies in Auckland and Sydney.
Ex-All Blacks scrum-half Marshall praised McKenzie’s efforts since being shifted from full-back to fly-half but believes things will be more challenging for the 31-year-old in New Zealand’s upcoming Nations Championship Tests against Scotland, Wales and England.
“He’s massively elevated himself. At the end of the day, the two Bledisloes, where he started at 10, is the perfect storm for DMac, which is to be operating with more possession and front-foot ball; physically, you’re over the ad-line all the time, and he’s running onto it,” he told The Good, The Bad & Rugby Australia & New Zealand podcast.
“It’s a different scenario when you’ve got static ball, potentially go to the UK.
“And it’s a bit, it’s wetter, the opposition’s a bit more niggly at the breakdown and you’ve got to operate off more static ball and then you’ve got to be pulling the trigger on good decisions, and your kick strategy and your game management is a lot more tested.
“But with that type of ball, if the All Blacks can keep producing that type of ball, that guy’s the most dangerous, one of the most dangerous rugby players in the world.”
Former All Blacks captain and number eight Read said that although McKenzie has delivered the goods for his country at fly-half, he expects him to be back at full-back when Mo’unga recovers from a calf injury.
‘Where’s he going to play in the World Cup?’
“What I’d say with DMac, right, is where’s he going to play in the World Cup? “I think he’s playing 15. So, I don’t think he’s our starting first-five (eighth).
“So, I think if Richie Mo’unga comes back fit, whether he’s fit or not, then he will slot in (at fly-half) and I think you put DMac to full-back because you’re talking about ultimately, our best team.
“I remember when we were going, the years before World Cups for the All Blacks, when you go up to the North and you play four games, tough games, big crowds, you kind of do it like mini World Cup for four games away in a row, play like you’re playing quarter-finals.
Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for world-class coverage you can trust.
“Put that in your mindset and play your best team.
“We don’t have much time, right? So, do that, get a bit of an understanding of what it’s going to look like. So, I think DMac’s our fullback.
“So, but that’s only going to happen if I think Richie is fit to go on tour and play and we’re hearing that he might not be for the first couple (of games) hey?
“So, without him, then yes, I think you keep him at first-five. But I think we’ve got to start looking at where you want to play those guys in your best positions if there’s injuries and then slot in guys around them.”