All Blacks head coach Ian Foster was full of praise for flanker Shannon Frizell, who had a storming performance against the Springboks on Saturday.
Frizell scored a barnstorming try in the All Blacks’ 35-20 victory over their fierce rivals at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland. Outside of that, he was very good in the carry and brilliant on defence.
The All Blacks have been looking for a player to nail down the blindside spot in the side, with Scott Barrett being used there on occasion, but now they look to have their man.
Big step up
Foster believes Frizell stepped up well to the challenge of fighting for the jersey and praised him for solid back-to-back performances.
“He’s taken the challenge on board,” said Foster. “It’s a jersey he wants. I thought last week was one of his best Tests and to do it again this week is pretty special. He should be proud.
“He’s been simmering along all Super season. We’ve always had a lot of faith in Shannon. When he’s put a black jersey on he’s always played well. Sometimes with players it takes a little while to get that 100% belief at Test level. Perhaps he’s been one of those. Maybe we’ve got his roles a bit clearer.”
For Foster, it is the ideal situation to see a player push hard for a spot once he opened the door for him.
“He deserves the credit,” he said. “He’s turned up and he’s kind of felt the opportunity. We’ve been really clear about the opportunity that’s there for him, and he’s taken it. So I guess sometimes it’s a bit of selection pressure, a bit of experience, and a bit of him playing like a man who really wants it.”
Complete performance
It was not just Frizell’s impressive carrying ability that caught Foster’s eye on the night, the coach believes it was a complete performance from his player.
“He stayed focused, you saw him double up tasks, you saw him get up and do different things. He wasn’t just ball-carrying, he wasn’t just tackling, but cleaning, and jackling over the ball. There was a variety in his game that was pretty special,” he said.
“I hope he doesn’t read this because he might get big-headed. But he should be really proud of that game.”
READ MORE: All Blacks make statement with dominant victory over the Springboks
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