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Scott Robertson has reflected on the hit-and-miss nature of his preferred No.10 Damian McKenzie as he struggles to get his misfiring team back to full form.
The All Blacks stormed out of the gates against the Wallabies on Saturday with 28 points in the opening half an hour. But Razor’s gang haven’t managed a try past the hour mark so far in The Rugby Championship and were very nearly run down by a strong closing Wallabies.
As the team headed to Wellington for the final round of TRC, Robertson acknowledged he had a decision to make whether sticking with DMac at flyhalf is the way forward.
(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
McKenzie started the game strongly but there were moments of over elaboration – a trait shared by some of his teammates as they flew out to a big lead.
DMac butchered a try when his flick pass to Tamaiti Willimas went pear shaped and that wasn’t his only poor moment of execution.
“Damian was mercurial,” Robertson said.
“He can play, he can turn it on. We know how gifted an athlete and player he can be. He’s getting better at his craft. We’ve got to finish a couple of opportunities and we’re aware of that.
“We have the confidence side of it to create them. We’ve had more meetings than Saatchi and Saatchi, it feels like, around the actual opportunity to see them and finish them.
“You don’t want to take any negative tension around that. You want to train it, and give it. It’s been there. It’s just needs to click.”
Robertson has shown some ruthlessness at the selection table in his eight matches in charge and the Kiwi media is speculating if McKenzie should be the next to be stood down.
“That’s a good question,” Robertson told reporters. “We’ve backed him. You’ve got to do that. You’ve got to give someone the opportunity and time to hold those reins as long as they possibly can and have someone else who can play there, because it can change quite quickly.
“Beauden [Barrett] is clearly that, and with Stephen Perofeta injured again, Harry Plummer has come in and had a little cameo. It was a great moment for him after the game. Those are the other two options.”
Robertson agreed that the Bledisloe Cup being done and dusted again gave him an opportunity to make some changes. He will likely need one at least in the back line, with Jordie Barrett facing knee scans – although Beauden is expected to return after being a late withdrawal from the Sydney Test due to illness.
“We’re always looking at the mix. There’s been an injury or two and a little bit of sickness might change the selections, but yes, it does,” said Robertson.
