Murray Mexted has suggested that the All Blacks will not improve unless Scott Robertson remembers what makes an effective loose forward combination.
New Zealand have lost two of their past four matches in the Rugby Championship to put the pressure on the head coach.
However, it is not just their results that are causing concern with their performances not entirely convincing either, even when they win.
Robertson is still struggling for the right balance in the All Blacks team, and Mexted remains unconvinced by the back-row.
All Blacks culling?
The 72-year-old reckons there are too many players of a similar ilk in the wider squad and, as a result, he thinks there could be a culling.
“All those players like Savea, Kirifi, Lakai, Sititi, Jacobson, they’re all competing for one position because there’s only one shorter loose forward available, and that’s normally on the openside. In my view, Savea’s got that wrapped up all day long and they seem to like him,” he told DSPN.
“There’s going to be a clearout. You can’t carry Kirifi, Lakai, Sititi and Jacobson unless one of them is playing out of their skin, and I don’t see that at the moment.”
The skills of the modern player have improved out of sight, which means those who aren’t a specialist back-row can still excel at things like the breakdown.
However, Mexted believes that trend has potentially had a negative impact on the current All Blacks side.
“In recent years, there’s been a focus on everyone having the same ability as a loose forward. In other words, whoever’s closest to the ball becomes a loose forward,” he said.
“You used to see every time there was a breakdown, Richie McCaw was there, and probably Kieran Read or Jerome Kaino.
“Now they’re departmentalising the game to try and cover the field better, but there’s got to be another view of that style too.”
All Blacks great a ‘broken record’ as New Zealand ‘not improving’ under Scott Robertson
Mexted also revealed that he conversed with Robertson, who himself is a former back-row, about this issue a while back.
‘Those two positions are fundamental’
“I’ve spoken to Razor about this years ago. He was trying to tell me about the areas of the game where players are now defending and attacking from,” he said.
“They’re called loose forwards because they’re not tight forwards, they’re in a position between the forwards and the backs.
“From a scrum situation, they’ve got more access to the breakdown than anyone else on the field, except the ball carrier and the guy next to them.”
Mexted added: “Everyone becomes a loose forward is the argument of the current day experts. I’m not a current day expert, I’m an expert from days gone by… but you’ve still got to have people who have real good specialist skills at turning over the ball.
“You can name them, and you can see they’re the same people turning it over all the time. Ardie Savea is a master at that area of the game, there’s no doubt about that.
“What is he? He’s an openside flanker, so he’s a specialist. We need someone playing at number eight who’s also like that, so those two guys, from scrums particularly, can get to the breakdown.
“Those two positions are fundamental as far as retaining and regaining ball, so I think it’s something they’ve forgotten about.”