Justin Marshall has predicted that Scott Robertson will once again overlook Hoskins Sotutu for the All Blacks this year irrespective of how he performs for the Blues.<\/b><\/p>\n
The number eight\u2019s omission from the first squad the 50-year-old named as New Zealand head coach was a big surprise.<\/p>\n
It proved to be the correct choice with Wallace Sititi, who was chosen ahead of Sotutu<\/a>, being named World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year.<\/p>\n Blues struggles hampering Sotutu<\/p>\n The Blues back-rower remains hopeful of a Test recall, but the form of the Auckland outfit this season has not helped his cause.<\/p>\n However, he was impressive in their victory over the Chiefs in the Super Rugby Pacific play-off clash on Saturday as they qualified for the semi-finals, and two more standout displays may convince Robertson<\/a> that he can hack it at international level.<\/p>\n Marshall remains unconvinced, though, and believes that the All Blacks<\/a> boss will not pick either him or fellow loose forward Dalton Papali\u2019i in his 35.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is not a personal opinion, I feel they\u2019re a victim of the way the Blues have been playing. I think the ship has sailed for both of them,\u201d he told The Breakdown.<\/p>\n \u201cThe type of game the Blues are playing is definitely not the type of game that the All Blacks will want to play, so then you\u2019re not really showing balance in your game.<\/p>\n \u201cTheir lack of ability to have really consistent rugby, consistent time on the field and then playing a style of game that suits your DNA, it hasn\u2019t helped either one of them.<\/p>\n \u201cHoskins at the weekend, it was the perfect opportunity for him to roll up his sleeves and get stuck in because of the way the game unfolded, and that just played into the wheelhouse of the way the Blues wanted it to.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no doubt about the fact that he\u2019s not playing poorly, Dalton\u2019s not playing poorly, but I just don\u2019t think they fit the mix that the All Blacks want to select.\u201d<\/p>\n