Damian Mckenzie
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bones" data-cid="567640" data-time="1459067177"><p>
So why couldn't he play wing? Seems a great replacement for NMS to me.</p></blockquote>If Colin Slade is good enough to be an All Black winger, then sure as shit D Mac is too! -
<p>Or does he play fullback and smith slots onto the wing?</p>
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<p>i know smith is the number 1FB , but he is probably the number 1 right wing as well with NMS out </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Hooroo" data-cid="567642" data-time="1459067557">
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<p>I swear, if Danger Mouse doesn't become an all black this year, Kirwan will eat his hat!</p>
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<p>Where is Kirwan these days?</p> -
<p>Good to see lots of manlove for DMac.</p>
<p>I agree with everything said above - What I like particularly about DMac is the positive <strong>energy he brings, and the creativity to try something new. Intuition and work ethic; you can't coach. It is infectious however, and the team as a whole benefits. </strong>The ability to make something out of nothing cannot be underestimated. </p>
<p>I would be interested to see him given a stint in the 10 shirt, to see how he can shape a game, especially when the team is under pressure.</p> -
<p>He wasn't to flash at 10 last year, but his decision making seems a lot more consistent this year so might be ready for another shot. I think he needs to be considered a fullback only, from an All Blacks point of view, until he shows better first five form at Super Level.</p>
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<p>He's got great defense, too. And wow, that pace to run down that Force break.</p> -
Yes playing fullback in super rugby is different to test rugby,<br><br>I can remember a young Nick Evans playing Fullback against England I think it was , and his super rugby instinct of running it back from everywhere brought him unstuck a bit.
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Looks a great athlete and a classy footy player, but test fullback is different. Sides like England and Ireland would test him with high ball after high ball after high ball. I see him as a utility player or right winger initially, especially when the ABs have Ben Smith and Beauden Barrett as other options at fullback.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Milk" data-cid="567679" data-time="1459089382">
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<p>I think he needs to be considered a fullback only, from an All Blacks point of view, until he shows better first five form at Super Level.</p>
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<p>Just to add to that, I listened to Veitch's interview with Steve Hansen's, and Hansen listed him as the fourth first five they were keeping an eye on. So I guess he'd disagree that he should be considered a fullback only at test level at the moment :)</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://soundcloud.com/nzherald/tony-veitch-talks-to-steve-hansen'>https://soundcloud.com/nzherald/tony-veitch-talks-to-steve-hansen</a></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="567648" data-time="1459070521"><p>Where is Kirwan these days?</p></blockquote>
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Work is a bit nuts at the moment. <br><br>
This conversation reminds me of 2002 and Ben Blair. Very similar players. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Kirwan" data-cid="567776" data-time="1459125302">
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<p>Work is a bit nuts at the moment.<br><br>
This conversation reminds me of 2002 and Ben Blair. Very similar players.</p>
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<p>Wash your mouth out.</p>
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<p>Similar size maybe but until DMac has a meltdown of Blair magnitude I don't equate the two of them at all</p> -
<p>Big positive for me in the Chiefs Force game was he looked pretty comfortable under the high ball. It's something I haven't really noticed before, and I guess I assumed he wouldn't be too flash at due to his height etc - but he certainly got up there when needed.</p>
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<p>I guess the reason I am struggling to take the calls for McKenzie to be included in the June tests seriously is that they are based on five games of SR form. No-one was calling for Damian to be included in the All Blacks for the RWC which means that he's effectively being labelled an All Black after five SR games. Don't get me wrong I think he's a prodigious talent who hopefully has a long representative career ahead of him, but it seems like every year a young player finds a rich vein of early season form and suddenly people are demanding for the All Black team to be shuffled around so that room can be found for them. As a five eighth, and I don't think he's anywhere close to overtaking players like Cruden and Sopoaga. As a fullback no-one on the planet is close to Ben Smith. And as a utility 10/15 bench option I think Beaudan Barrett has done a spectacular job filling that role for the ABs over the past 24 months and deserves all rights of incumbency. Whilst I can completely understand why people are excited about McKenzie's early season form I don't believe there is any rush to get him into the All Blacks. If he is to take the next step with his career and become an All Black then I believe he needs to make a compelling case by outplaying one of the incumbents over a substantial period of time. And I don't think he has come close to doing that yet.</p>
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I think MacKenzie's rep is built on more than 5 Super Rugby games. <br><br>
He's been around for a couple of years at first class level and people have been keeping an eye on him as a potential AB for even longer. <br><br>
The fact that his rep has slowly been building and he doesn't yet seem prone to brain farts and seems to deliver more often than not suggests he is getting ready to deliver on that potential. <br><br>
Hence he's forced his way into the conversation. <br><br>
It's more than just us public numptys picking the flashy guy in form and saying he's the man.<br><br>
Remember Hansen dropped him into the conversation un promoted over weekend. And he's not exactly known for irrational sekection decisions. -
<p>plus most are just 'talking about him' around AB conversations, I dont think anyone is suggesting they drop someone for him just yet, this is what we do. </p>
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<p>We speculate about players who might become ABs.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="booboo" data-cid="567817" data-time="1459136077">
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<p>I think MacKenzie's rep is built on more than 5 Super Rugby games.<br><br>
He's been around for a couple of years at first class level and people have been keeping an eye on him as a potential AB for even longer.<br><br>
The fact that his rep has slowly been building and he doesn't yet seem prone to brain farts and seems to deliver more often than not suggests he is getting ready to deliver on that potential.<br><br>
Hence he's forced his way into the conversation.<br><br>
It's more than just us public numptys picking the flashy guy in form and saying he's the man.<br><br>
Remember Hansen dropped him into the conversation un promoted over weekend. And he's not exactly known for irrational sekection decisions.</p>
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<p>Whilst your point about Hansen is a valid one, I don't remember McKenzie being discussed as a potential AB last year at all, although I am happy to be proven wrong if people were advocating for him. So what's changed since then? 5 Super Rugby games.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="567784" data-time="1459126576">
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<p>Wash your mouth out.</p>
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<p>Similar size maybe but until DMac has a meltdown of Blair magnitude I don't equate the two of them at all</p>
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<p>Also, DMac is a creative player, IIRC Blair was more of a runner, kind of a B grade Cullen.</p>
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<p>In a general sense, DMac shouldn't be thought of as a starter by any stretch of the imagination, but the ABs pull in good guys young/inexperienced all the time, I don't know why people would have an issue with him being in the discussion ... unless they haven't seen him play (his improvement on last year has been noticeable, time in the AB camp might help speed up the ironing out of his issues).</p>
