In the last Rugby World Cup there was a t-shirt sold here in New Zealand that said ” I <3 Carter Slade Cruden Donald” referring to the dearth of injuries that swept the number 10 jersey during the series. Legend has it, Stephen Donald was so far down the list of replacement kickers that he’d decided to go fishing for the day when the fateful call up came through, and was allegedly tending nets rather than practicing goal-kicking.
I bring this story to light because the number 10 jersey curse has struck again, this time taking out rookie Tom Taylor. Taylor came off late in the game against Australia on Saturday night with an apparent rib injury and has been officially sidelined for three weeks.
Firstly, I have to feel for Taylor. Considering it was his first game at this level, he more than justified Steve Hansen’s faith in him. Taylor played a good, solid 78 minutes of an 80 minute game, and but for the injury I’m certain he’d have stayed on the field for the whole game, rather than be subbed out in the dying minutes as pretty much every Australian player was. Taylor played with heart, and got involved early in the piece.
So why do we keep losing players in this jersey?
Firstly, I would suggest the sheer physicality these guys bring to the table has something to do with them being so injury prone. Super winger Israel Folau managed to get very limited game play for Australia despite being on the field for the full 80. However, Folau sticks to his position. he’s a good winger, but that’s all he seems to do.
Dan Carter and Aaron Cruden in particular are quite the opposite. If asked what position they play, I tend to reply “All of them…at once!” These guys are small compared to some of the forwards, and light compared to some of the backs, but that doesn’t slow them for a moment. They compete for the ball at the breakdown, they run the length of the field, Cruden set up one try and scored his own try in the first Bledisloe game, they just get stuck in! I for one love that about them.
That physicality though has the cost that when things go wrong, they tend to go wrong big time. Carter has been sidelines for some six weeks with calf issues, Cruden with his knee, and Beauden Barrett with his own leg issues. Now Taylor has gone down as well you’ve got to wonder how long before Steve Hansen is out searching the school playgrounds for the next number 10?
One of the biggest blows for Taylor is that by the time he is back from injury, he will be pushed out by the likes of a returning Carter and likely Cruden. Carter is likely to be match fit again by the time the All Blacks face Argentina on September 7, with Colin Slade probably going in to a support role again as back up. Cruden won’t be far off after that and Barrett won’t be far away either.
I genuinely hope this isn’t the last we see of Tom Taylor in a Black Jersey though. After what I saw over the weekend I think this kid has a lot of potential, and I think we’d be stupid NOT to develop what’s there. Carter needs to step down, and give Cruden a decent crack at the job, and I’d be more than happy to see Taylor in as second or third choice for the All Blacks kicking duties. It certainly helps to reassure me that we do have a strong team heading into the future as well.
Thanks for reading, you can follow me on Twitter –@recaffeinated99. Give the site a follow while you’re at it – @lastwordonsport.
Interested in writing for LastWordOnSports? Find more info at our “Join Our Team” page.
