Damian McKenzie’s Super Rugby season so far with the Chiefs has been impressive, and the 21-year old says it’s the ‘little things’ that have been integral to his success.
McKenzie’s selection in the All Blacks in June wasn’t a non-event. The 21-year old didn’t get any game time during the Third Test against Wales, despite the series already being secured the week earlier. However, all the talk from Steve Hansen about McKenzie’s time with the group has been positive. The initial selection came as a big surprise to McKenzie who says he wasn’t expecting to be named at all:
“It was an awesome environment, and I learn’t a lot of stuff about the little details of the game on the training field”, McKenzie said.
Despite the exciting style of rugby he plays, and the large fan-following in recent times, McKenzie’s game is not perfect by any means. With 37 turnovers this season, McKenzie says he is working on his ball security. Under the high ball, McKenzie was quite unstable earlier in the 2016 season but has managed to improve in the area.
Due to his small size, McKenzie is almost always going to come up against much larger opponents during the in-air battle:
“Blocking from the other players in your team helps you, but it’s more about being confident and not shying away from the ball” says McKenzie.
Damian McKenzie’s Super Rugby Season So Far
The flaws in McKenzie’s game are few. The last two years have seen a rapid change in the fullback’s mindset, both on and off the field. McKenzie owes a lot of his success to Chiefs head coach Dave Rennie. Earlier this year, McKenzie was offered a big opportunity with the Blues franchise in a key play-making role. He decision to stay in the Waikato was to say ‘thanks’ for all the integral developmental support around him:
“It was a given to stick around, and I am happy to be here for the next two years”, McKenzie said.
Unlike many of his Chiefs teammates, McKenzie has avoided injury and will make his 14th consecutive start against the Reds this Friday. The Chiefs have lost a number of significant talents due to injury this year. This large list includes Michael Leitch and Charlie Ngatai. Both had excelled on the field prior to injuries. Luck plays a big part in going through any season without injury. To assist that, McKenzie puts a lot of effort into his preparation during the week. Making sure to keep in touch with the coaches to know exactly what he needs to do each day.
Recovery also plays a big part, and when on a day off, McKenzie likes to refresh mentally by enjoying his spare time.
McKenzie was spotted at a young age and labelled a future star of the game. At just 21 years of age, the Smiling Assassin has become an integral part of the Chiefs game plan each week. While there is room for improvement, always places to gain that little advantage, there is no doubt that McKenzie will work his hardest at it.
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