Former New Zealand scrum-half Ant Strachan believes the emergence of talented playmakers like Ruben Love and Josh Jacomb could create problems for Damian McKenzie at Test level.
McKenzie and Beauden Barrett were the two players who shared the fly-half duties for the All Blacks when Scott Robertson coached the men in black in 2024 and 2025.
However, Robertson has been axed with Dave Rennie appointed as the All Blacks‘ new head coach last month and Strachan, who represented his country in 11 Tests between 1992 and 1995, believes with Love and Jacomb impressing at fly-half for the Hurricanes and Chiefs respectively in Super Rugby Pacific, could be a “conundrum” for McKenzie‘s international ambitions.
Jacomb and McKenzie are team-mates at the Chiefs and the former started at fly-half in the Hamilton-based outfit’s first three Super Rugby matches while the All Blacks star was being rested.
McKenzie eventually made his first appearance in the Chiefs’ fourth match of the season against Moana Pasifika and after guiding them to an emphatic 57-24 victory, he retained his position in the starting line-up.
However, the Chiefs suffered a 33-24 loss to the Brumbies in Canberra which resulted in Jacomb returning to the run-on side at fly-half for his side’s next encounter against the Western Force and helped them to clinch a 24-14 win while McKenzie was shifted to full-back.
Jacomb, who is 24 years old, also wore the Chiefs’ number 10 jersey in their 42-14 triumph against the Waratahs while McKenzie was rested again, but the latter returned to start in their return match with Moana which they won comfortably 62-17 while Jacomb was on the bench – a position which he occupied in all the games which McKenzie started at fly-half.
Ruben Love in fine form for the Hurricanes
Meanwhile, rookie All Black Love missed the Hurricanes’ first three matches of the season due to injury but returned via the bench in a 31-23 win over the Force on March before shining as their starting fly-half in their next three matches and he delivered a superb all-round performance in their 42-19 victory over the Blues this past weekend.
The 24-year-old plays alongside the All Blacks’ first choice scrum-half Cameron Roigard which Strachan feels has helped Love to shine for the Hurricanes.
“So I think he can play with a lot of confidence because he knows everything inside him is taken care of,” he told the DSPN podcast with Martin Devlin.
“And you got to remember that because Roigard’s such a threat, those inside defenders, they can’t push really quickly onto Ruben Love because they’ve got to check up and make sure Roigard’s not exposing them. So, he does get a little bit more time, to play and to read shapes.
“And he’s really good at scanning in behind. He’s got a good kicking game as well. But he doesn’t mind to take the line on as well.
“So again, he’s got some time to go, I think, to really fashion into a strong international candidate. But he’s just building nicely. And of course, he’s playing with the best nine in the country as well.
“So it’s about partnerships, as we know. And those two are going to put some real pressure on whoever else is out there, really.”
Love is similar to McKenzie as he can play at full-back and fly-half but Strachan believes his excellent recent form for the Hurricanes in the latter position this season could help him to cement his spot in the All Blacks set-up.
“Well, I mean, he’s been immensely frustrated over the last few years because he’s had some injuries, some nasty injuries. He just hasn’t really been able to get his game going. And he was playing at 15 for a while, and we know those pivots can change between 15 and 10,” he said.
“But he’s now going, ‘Well, I’m at 10, you know’. Clark Laidlaw or Jason Holland, they’re working extensively with him to play in that pivotal position. And I think, without throwing out Beaudie Barrett and potentially Richie Mo’unga, the older boys sitting around the mix, I think they’ve really got to invest in Ruben Love.”
Strachan has also been impressed by Jacomb’s performances at fly-half for the Chiefs and feels he could also be rewarded with an All Blacks call-up.
“I know people have been critical, but Josh Jacomb as well, he started to really play well for the Chiefs,” he said.
“They’re the two younger 10s (Love and Jacomb) that are not so old that they can’t handle international football. But they’re just building really, really nicely into positions. And I think they’re both better suited.
“So for me, they’d be my two 10s right now as we speak. But of course, you have the experience to fall back to. And Damian McKenzie, we haven’t even mentioned him yet.
‘It’s exciting’
“Where does he fit? Normally speaking, he’d always be in your 23. So, it’s exciting. New coaches as well.
“And I know (new All Blacks assistant coach) Neil Barnes is such a detail man around those technical skills. He’d be working extensively with those two. And of course, he’s coached Josh Jacomb at Taranaki as well, and also with the Chiefs.
“Yeah, I think that’s exciting.”
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Strachan feels if Love and Jacomb get a look-in at fly-half for the All Blacks, McKenzie could be facing a “conundrum” due to his ability to play in various positions.
“It’s a bit of a conundrum now, I reckon for Damian McKenzie, because most people in New Zealand will say, ‘Well, you know, you’ve got to have him in the 23’.
“When the game is broken up or broken open, he’ll come in and he’ll be devastating. He’s probably struggled the most when he’s been in those really tight Test matches, first 20, 25 minutes, just playing within systems and structures.
“He can, but that’s not his natural game. And of course, he’s like a Marc Ellis type player of the former years where he could play anywhere, to be honest. And he (Ellis) played 10 for the All Blacks as well.
“Damian is one of those guys that will provide you with lots of cover, lots of options. And the conundrum for him is like, if he just says, ‘Coach, I just want to be 10 in this team’.
“It’s not easy right now with Josh Jacomb sitting there as well, the team here, it’s not easy for him to actually just do that.
“So, watch this space. I think he’ll be there, but I’m just not quite sure whether he’ll have that 10 jersey or not.”
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