Former All Blacks scrumhalf Justin Marshall has called on head coach Scott Robertson to show faith in Quinn Tupaea and stick with the in-form Chiefs centre for Saturday’s Test against Ireland in Chicago.
New Zealand return to action for the first time since their Bledisloe Cup win over Australia in Perth, where Tupaea delivered a standout performance after being drafted into the midfield. The 26-year-old powered over for two tries and added the physical edge the All Blacks have sometimes lacked in recent outings.
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Robertson later said Billy Proctor, the usual starter, had merely been “rested” due to a heavy workload, but Marshall believes the former should retain his place on form.
“Quinn played so well in that Test in Perth that you’ve got to reward players,” Marshall said on the GBRANZ podcast. “Equally, you’ve got to think about where we were struggling, and we were struggling with punch – and he provided punch.”
Marshall added that Tupaea’s direct running and strength in contact had created opportunities for others, even in tricky wet conditions.
“When you’ve got that, all of a sudden players around him benefit. Because it was wet, it didn’t probably showcase how defensively the other team has to adjust,” he explained.
“They have to go, ‘okay, he’s coming hard, he’s coming on good lines, yes he can offload’, but the focus on the outside is inhibited because of the wet conditions.”
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Photo: Janelle St Pierre/Getty Images
