All Blacks legend reveals the Rassie Erasmus ploy which Scott Robertson is copying

Murray Mexted, a legendary number eight for New Zealand, thinks All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson has made increasing squad depth a priority and is imitating his Springboks colleague Rassie Erasmus in doing so.

The world champions were crowned tournament winners due to a superior points difference, while the Wallabies and Los Pumas finished third and fourth, respectively. The Springboks and All Blacks are currently ranked first and second in World Rugby’s official rankings, and the fierce rivals also placed first and second in the most recent Rugby Championship standings.

In the prestigious Southern Hemisphere tournament, South Africa and New Zealand both won four of six games. The Boks lost twice, to the Wallabies in Johannesburg and the All Blacks in Auckland, while the latter lost to Argentina in Buenos Aires and to the world champions in Wellington for their second Test match.

‘Razor is trying to develop a squad more than a team’

“The short answer is no, but the long answer is probably the fact that Razor is trying to develop a squad more than a team,” Mexted said when asked if the All Blacks had improved if they were to be judged by their finishing position in the Rugby Championship during a recent appearance on the DSPN podcast with Martin Devlin. In their interviews, they have now stated that this is more than a 15-person crew.

We also need to change with the game, in my opinion. Rassie Erasmus, the Springboks coach, has set the tempo by stating, “Hey, I haven’t got a first 15; I’ve got a first 45.”

“And he’s interfacing players and really getting similar, consistent results.

Not entirely reliable because nobody ever imagined that Australia could defeat the Boks at Ellis Park, at a high altitude. He has therefore been stranded a few times. We have as well, but it seems to me that our selectors are attempting to follow suit. “And so on the show about a week or so ago, might have been two weeks ago, I said: ‘For the life of me, I can’t work out why there are five openside flankers in the squad’. Now, that was quite foolish of me. “You know, Ardie Savea is obviously one, so there’s no room for the other four,” I added after finishing that comment.

However, I was considering it as a first 15 rather than a first 45. Razor and the boys will be doing it at this end as well, in my opinion, if Rassie Erasmus is doing it. They are attempting to produce two players in each position, and with luck, three. The reason I’ve been most worried about is that there are a lot of short opensides or short flankers who are unable to gain first phase possession. “There are other ways to win the game, Murray,” I’m sure many will say. But quite frankly, if you don’t have 50 percent possession, you make it hard for yourself and all you have to do is have a whistle happy referee and you’re down the tubes.

Mexted, who played 34 Test matches for New Zealand between 1979 and 1984, feels that building squad depth is a top priority for Robertson and his fellow selectors. “So once again, in that game against Australia (in Perth), we got 47 percent of possession.

Now, for an All Black team claiming to be ranked one or two in the world, you have to be able to get more than 50 percent of your own ball, don’t you? So that is my issue.”

POPULAR ON PLANET RUGBY

Fearsome Springbok, the “hardest man to defend,” and the best I’ve ever seen make up Juan Brex’s team of my life. Fearsome Springbok, the “hardest man to defend,” and the best I’ve ever seen make up Juan Brex’s team of my life. The Art of the Call: Why commentary notes by John Taylor are the best rugby memorabilia The Art of the Call: Why commentary notes by John Taylor are the best rugby memorabilia

Right now, they aren’t concerned with position. He remarked, “I believe that the selectors may not be concentrating on position right now.” Since players no longer appear to play consecutive Test matches throughout the season, it’s possible that they are concentrating on building a very large roster with two or three players in each position. Indeed, doing it was difficult on any given day, but it’s more difficult now.

Additionally, players are being substituted, not due to exhaustion. Additionally, I believe that viewers and listeners will ask, “Why did they remove that player with twenty-five minutes remaining?” He was performing incredibly well. Well, the selection psychology that comes into play when you have to balance 45 players for a team of 15 guys.

Additionally, certain players must fit in, get game time, and do other things. However, I do believe that a lot of this is intentional because their player trades lack rationale. Thus, the question is, are they doing it effectively? Are they succeeding? The results speak for themselves.