Murray Mexted, the iconic former All Blacks number eight, sees a bright future for newcomer Simon Parker, urging him to channel the legendary Zinzan Brooke following his promising start in international rugby. Parker, who debuted at number eight against Argentina in Buenos Aires, has since made a switch to blindside flanker, impressing enough to hold his place for the subsequent high-stakes games.
Parker's versatility between the number eight and six jersey has caught Mexted's attention, particularly his potential in lineout situations. "You've got to have three really good lineout forwards these days, not two. I think that Parker has got potential as a lineout winner because he’s big, so I think that’s handy," Mexted commented during an interview with Martin Devlin on DSPN.
"I’d love to see this guy Parker become like a Zinzan Brooke. You never had to worry about the ball in the air when Zinzan Brooke was playing because he was screaming for the ball, telling everyone to get out of the way," Mexted stated.
The All Blacks have faced challenges in securing aerial possession, a gap that opponents like the Springboks have attempted to exploit. This concern is highlighted by Mexted's critique of the current lineup's ability to compete in the air. "It was good enough in the end but it’s not good enough as far as I’m concerned," he said, reflecting on the recent match where New Zealand just scraped by with 48% possession.
Despite retaining the lock pairing of Scott Barrett and Tupou Vaa’i, Mexted voiced reservations about the team's lineout options. The decision to shift Vaa’i to lock was particularly puzzling for Mexted, given the height disadvantage against opponents. "I thought that was a really interesting call. I wouldn’t have done that," he opined, emphasizing the need for more effective aerial specialists in the squad.
The All Blacks coaching staff, led by Scott Robertson, have maintained their selections from the Eden Park setup for their next fixture. However, the debate continues on whether this combination can consistently secure the necessary control of the game through superior lineout and aerial strategies.
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Murray Mexted, the iconic former All Blacks number eight, sees a bright future for newcomer Simon Parker, urging him to channel the legendary Zinzan Brooke following his promising start in international rugby. Parker, who debuted at number eight against Argentina in Buenos Aires, has since made a switch to blindside flanker, impressing enough to hold his place for the subsequent high-stakes games.
Parker's versatility between the number eight and six jersey has caught Mexted's attention, particularly his potential in lineout situations. "You've got to have three really good lineout forwards these days, not two. I think that Parker has got potential as a lineout winner because he’s big, so I think that’s handy," Mexted commented during an interview with Martin Devlin on DSPN.
"I’d love to see this guy Parker become like a Zinzan Brooke. You never had to worry about the ball in the air when Zinzan Brooke was playing because he was screaming for the ball, telling everyone to get out of the way," Mexted stated.
The All Blacks have faced challenges in securing aerial possession, a gap that opponents like the Springboks have attempted to exploit. This concern is highlighted by Mexted's critique of the current lineup's ability to compete in the air. "It was good enough in the end but it’s not good enough as far as I’m concerned," he said, reflecting on the recent match where New Zealand just scraped by with 48% possession.
Despite retaining the lock pairing of Scott Barrett and Tupou Vaa’i, Mexted voiced reservations about the team's lineout options. The decision to shift Vaa’i to lock was particularly puzzling for Mexted, given the height disadvantage against opponents. "I thought that was a really interesting call. I wouldn’t have done that," he opined, emphasizing the need for more effective aerial specialists in the squad.
The All Blacks coaching staff, led by Scott Robertson, have maintained their selections from the Eden Park setup for their next fixture. However, the debate continues on whether this combination can consistently secure the necessary control of the game through superior lineout and aerial strategies.