Codie Taylor, the All Blacks’ hooker who will celebrate his 100th Test milestone when he runs out against Argentina in Buenos Aires on Sunday morning, says he hasn’t felt the need to give debutant Simon Parker any advice this week.
“He’s quite a chill sort of character,” Taylor told New Zealand media this morning of Parker, the 25-year-old Northlander.
“It’s been awesome to see him slot into this environment… just embrace it for what it is. It’s another chance to play rugby. It will go fast. Enjoy it and what an occasion [it will be].”
Any advice may be superfluous, anyway, because actions generally speak louder than words and if Parker is looking for a role model as he starts his Test career, he could do worse than follow Taylor, the 34-year-old from Levin who chased his dream all the way to Christchurch and would have settled for one Test, let alone 100.
Parker, from Mangawhai, the little coastal town between Auckland and Whāngarei, has the honour of starting at No.8 at Estadio Jose Amalfitani.
His selection ahead of the returning Wallace Sititi, who has been named on the bench, reflects the faith shown in him by head coach Scott Robertson and is a sign of things to come.
Sititi, back from an ankle injury which ruled him out of last month's series against France, will likely come back into the starting line-up for next month’s two Tests against South Africa, but, either way, Robertson now has two big, mobile and skilful ball-carrying No.8s at his disposal.
Providing they stay injury free, the pair will provide a one-two punch for the rest of the Rugby Championship and beyond and could help transform a team high on forward power, as shown last weekend during their first Test victory in Cordoba, but not necessarily backline fluency.
“I enjoy the contact side of footy – both sides of the ball - involvements in the tackle zone and getting chances out on the edge where there’s a bit of space,” Parker said this morning.
At 1.97m and about 120kg, Parker has the physical dimensions and mentality to help put the All Blacks on the front foot and in doing so help the backline cohesion significantly, and the same goes for the tackle-busting Sititi when he comes on.
Parker, who began his rugby career as a skinny kid playing first-five, or as he explained this morning, the kid who simply stood off the scrum, has had to do it the hard way in Northland – often staying on mates’ coaches after training due to the geographical isolation of his family home.
It’s all about to pay off for him and his family and in many ways the same goes for Taylor, at almost the opposite end of his career and who will have his wife at the game in celebration of his milestone.
Taylor, renowned within the squad for his work ethic and competitiveness, revealed today that the All Blacks have a banner in their team room featuring all 13 players who have appeared in 100 or more Tests.
Taylor’s name will be the latest addition (and then it will be Savea, who will play his 99th on Sunday). Of the current All Blacks, Beauden Barrett is highest on the list with 137.
“I played with most of them and looked up to all of them,” Taylor said. “They all have great legend status in the All Black jersey – to join them on that banner, like I say, it’s been a journey and one that hasn’t always been straightforward.
“There have been times when you probably doubt yourself but through a lot of hard work and support I get to sit here in front of you guys [and talk about it].”
Taylor’s first Test was against the Pumas in 2015 ahead of a World Cup victory featuring what he believes is the finest team of all.
“That team when I first came in was probably one of if not the greatest All Black team that ever was,” he said. “The amount of legends that were in that squad… hopefully we’re still living those standards that they set.”
Keven Mealamu, who is on the ‘centurion’ list, was a huge factor in Taylor’s development, as was the irrepressible Dane Coles, the fellow Horowhenua lad who Taylor says made the All Blacks’ hooker role what it is today.
“He showed that it can be achieved… he epitomised what it means to be a hooker. He played with so much passion and changed the game but was always so supportive. He put the jersey ahead of himself and that’s something I always admired.”
All Blacks' 100 club
153 – Sam Whitelock
148 – Richie McCaw
137* – Beauden Barrett
132 – Keven Mealamu
127 – Kieran Read
125 – Aaron Smith
118 – Tony Woodcock
112 – Dan Carter
109 – Brodie Retallick
108 – Owen Franks
104 – Sam Cane
103 – Ma’a Nonu
100 – Mils Muliaina
99* - Codie Taylor
* current All Blacks
SHARE ME