Barnes hails Jacobson as 'outstanding' after doubted All Blacks selection delivers against France

All Blacks assistant coach Neil Barnes has emphatically defended Luke Jacobson’s selection for last week’s test against France, describing the Chiefs captain’s performance as “outstanding” and saying it came as no surprise to those who had watched him closely throughout the Super Rugby season.

Jacobson was among the more unexpected names in Dave Rennie’s match-day 23, and his first-half display — which included two penalties conceded — did little to silence the sceptics early on. But the 29-year-old grew into the contest, finishing as the All Blacks’ leading tackler with 18 and providing a superb assist for Will Jordan’s late try, fending off a last-ditch French defender in the process.

“Well, I guess other people are allowed to be [surprised], but like if you watched Super Rugby this year, he played a lot of games at seven,” Barnes told media in Auckland at the start of Italy Test week. “We thought he was outstanding, so it’s not a surprise to me. He’s earned my respect, and I thought he showed the rest of the country what he’s got on board.”

Beyond Jacobson’s individual contribution, Barnes highlighted New Zealand’s ruck speed as a particular source of satisfaction. The All Blacks recycled ball in under three seconds on 95 per cent of occasions during the first half — a statistic Barnes attributed to collective precision rather than any single player.

“It’s being brilliant at basics. It’s a lot to do with everyone’s role inside that — the footwork, the early cleans, having options all around the ball,” he said. “So people can’t just line up and T-bone you with two tackles. A lot of little things go into that, but really pleased with the speed of our ball.”

The lock situation added a further layer of pressure to the week. Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu was ruled out with a tight calf, leaving Josh Lord (seven Tests), Sam Darry (twelve Tests) and debutant Jamie Hannah — who came off the bench without any preparation training — to fill the void left by four unavailable locks.

“My anxiety levels during that week were going through the roof,” Barnes admitted. “Our four top locks were all out, and we had another one pull out during the week. Then we’ve got a debutant step up without any training and does an awesome job.”

Barnes drew a silver lining from the injury crisis, suggesting it had accelerated the development of depth in the squad. “Sometimes when injuries happen, it actually allows you to develop more depth underneath. So really pleased for those boys.”