NEHE MILNER-SKUDDER

MAIN WEAPON >>AGILITY

No one in the world game has a step quite like Nehe Milner-Skudder’s. His footwork is incredible and is a stunning point of di erence on the world stage.

The trend these days is to pick big wings. Giant wings in fact: men like George North and Tim Visser who are bigger than most loose forwards. Almost bigger than a few locks. It’s ridiculous but they go well at the size they are.

Milner-Skudder is 1.80m and 90kg. There’s a fair bit of definition in his core areas, but while he’s well put together, he’s not a big man by any means. What he brings to the test arena is the ability to be evasive, but evasive at pace.

His magic is the way he can change direction almost in mid-air and accelerate, swerve and step all in what appears to be one motion.

It’s a combination that troubles defenders because they think they have him lined up and he’s going nowhere when suddenly he’s behind them and heading towards the tryline. And heading there quickly.

He’s instinctive and backs himself and is willing to run. His magic is not just his ability to beat players to finish, he’s a supremely good counter attacker on the back of his footwork and pace, and frequently sparks things from deep.

His temperament is ideal for test football, too, something he showed on his debut in 2015. He started against Australia in Sydney that year and the All Blacks struggled for control and fluidity, but the two chances that came his way, he finished brilliantly. He showed all of his pace and agility, but also surprising power scoring the second, bundling through two defenders on the line.

His all round contribution was lively and he was involved and eager, earning top praise from the coaches and ultimately a spot in the World Cup squad.

“He brought what he’s been bringing to the Super competition to the test arena and it’s exciting,” Hansen said. “He was excited all week and he’s impressed us with how quickly he’s learned and how quickly he’s taken things on board. That was a great try the second one he finished… he had a bit of work to do and he did a pretty good e ort to score it.” STRIKE RATE A strike rate of a try a game is incredible and makes Milner-Skudder one of the most potent finishers in the game. But that statistic has to be put into context: he’s only played eight tests and half of his tries have come against Namibia and Tonga.

Still, he can only be judged on the games he’s had and while it is unlikely he will keep a 100 per cent record for much longer, there’s good reason to believe he’ll keep scoring. He is a clinical finisher and works hard to get o his wing.

‘He brought what he’s been bringing to the Super competition to the test arena and it’s exciting.’ STEVE HANSEN