Former All Blacks scrum-half Justin Marshall has urged Scott Robertson to change his centre pairing again, as he believes that Leicester Fainga\u2019anuku is a better fit in the midfield.<\/b><\/p>\n
Head coach Robertson has selected Jordie Barrett and Billy Proctor as the starting centres for much of 2025, with one of the rare exceptions being the third Test against France when the former was included on the bench.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s clear that the coaching staff want Proctor and Barrett to continue to build a partnership and become more cohesive, with the pair also set to feature together in Super Rugby Pacific next season with the Hurricanes.<\/p>\n
This after Rieko Ioane was shifted back to the wing this year after playing at outside centre for New Zealand for the last four years.<\/p>\n
Despite his team getting hammered 43-10 by the Springboks in Wellington, Marshall believes that Proctor had his best performance yet for the All Blacks in what was his eighth Test appearance.<\/p>\n
Drop All Blacks back after his best game<\/p>\n
Ex-Wallabies hooker Jeremy Paul disagreed with the former All Black<\/a> when the pair discussed the make-up of the midfield on The Good, The Bad and The Rugby AUNZ podcast.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got to stay with Billy Proctor<\/a>,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Marshall responded: \u201cYou and I are going to butt heads on this.<\/p>\n \u201cHe played his best Test on the weekend, and I don\u2019t think he is playing poorly. But I just don\u2019t feel that we have enough danger out there.\u201d<\/p>\n When pressed as to who should then be the starting outside centre, Marshall quickly replied Leicester Fainga\u2019anuku.<\/p>\n The Crusaders-bound star has returned to New Zealand after a stint with Top 14 club RC Toulon, where he starred in the French competition, mostly at centre, but is an option on the wing and finished several matches for the club at flank.<\/p>\n He is currently plying his trade with the Tasman Mako in the NPC, and although it was initially stated that he wouldn\u2019t be eligible for selection under New Zealand Rugby policies, he was called into the All Blacks squad ahead of the Tests against the Springboks.<\/p>\n Nigel Owens ignites All Blacks v Springboks ranking debate as \u2018mythical creature\u2019 clashes with \u2018complete rugby\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s not a criticism of Billy Proctor<\/p>\n However, he did not earn a place in either of the matchday 23s, but Marshall hopes that will change for the remaining two Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup fixtures against the Wallabies.<\/p>\n He believes that Fainga\u2019anuku can provide a similar \u2018punch\u2019 and skillset to the role as Andre Esterhuizen does for the Springboks.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d select him with Jordie to have that punch,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen the Springboks brought Esterhuizen on, like honestly. I know he is a tank, but what he was doing, wow. You saw instances where he had two defenders on him, and he is lobbing the ball over them to his outside backs or centre because he is big and powerful.<\/p>\n