The current form of Moana Pasifika Captain and flanker Ardie Savea in this year’s Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific has had former All Blacks halfback Justin Marshall calling out former All Blacks coaches and selectors for not listening to him when he was saying that Savea is made to be an openside flanker.
Marshall says he does not want to be a smart mouth, but he can not help himself, and he has been saying this for three years now, but nobody seemed to want to listen to him, particularly the All Blacks coaches.
He adds that the more he sees Savea on the side of the scrum, and the way that the rest of the loose forward trio balances out, and the player that Savea is in that jersey, the more it is glaringly obvious that current All Blacks coach Scott Robertson needs to pick Savea in that position.
Marshall says Savea is a unique player, but what he does well is that he can slightly change the picture in the way he is playing.
He says openside flankers gravitate to the ball, they want to be the first, second arriving player the majority of the time, and if Savea is going to that zone, he’s picking and going and carrying with his leg drive and pump.
Marshall says Savea’s ability to be able to do that and balance his game out is perfectly suited to that position.
Savea was recently named the Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year with two rounds left following his extraordinary performance for Moana Pasifika against the Blues over the weekend.
Meanwhile, Moana Pasifika only needs a win in the remaining two rounds to make history and book their spot in the playoffs for the first time since joining the competition in 2022.
Moana Pasifika will take on the Chiefs at 7.05pm this Saturday at FMG Stadium in Waikato.
In other matches this week, the Crusaders will take on the Highlanders at 7.05pm Friday, the Reds will host the Hurricanes at 9.35pm Friday, and the Western Force will take on the Waratahs at 9.35pm Saturday.
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