Whatever the question, Anton Lienert-Brown is the answer
Low-key back has quietly become one of All Blacks’ most important players
AWorld Cup short on romance hasn’t done much better in the questionanswering department. Just over two weeks in — it feels longer — and I still can’t understand the rules, can’t work out what the best All Blacks midfield combination is, and haven’t got a clue who actually represents an outfit called World Rugby.
It’s also still hard to get a read on the All Blacks’ form, along with Ireland’s form, England’s form, and South Africa’s form. Oh yes — it’s hard to gauge the Welsh form, and it is hard to work out what Australia are up to at the best of times.
Is Brodie Retallick fit for serious duty? Not sure.
Apart from odd exceptions like Anton Lienert-Brown emerging as the best midfield back in world rugby, and Japan toppling Ireland, it has been a sterile tournament so far, with a lot of sadly lopsided scores.
And that theme will continue in Toyota Stadium on Saturday night, when the All Blacks will obliterate perennial Six Nations flops Italy.
The All Blacks will be absolutely filthy at their overall performance against Namibia and know they have reached the business end of rugby’s arduous four-year cycle. It’s big statement time.
They were hampered by a ponderous display from converted first five-eighths Jordie Barrett in the first half against Namibia.
Barrett stood virtually still, by modern standards, and shovelled the ball on like an old forward, taking speed out of the All Blacks game.
He came right with some gusto in the second half, but only as magnificent Namibia tired.
But rising midfield maestro Lienert-Brown is never ponderous, emerging this year as something very special.
He has almost snuck up to 39 test appearances, perhaps because 21 of them have been off the bench.
He began to show a real knack for
making an impact as a replacement, but his contribution has suddenly gone way beyond that.
He turns up all over the place and can worm his way through all manner of tunnels that other players can’t see or create.
From the moment of his test introduction in 2016, he displayed poise and a nice variety of passes.
I’m not sure if there is a like-forlike predecessor in New Zealand rugby. Lienert-Brown is no Ma’a Nonu, that’s for sure.
Perhaps there is a touch of Walter Little to his game, maybe not. LienertBrown twists and turns, with rubberlike legs and relaxed balance, and can run on all sorts of angles.
In an age of relentless defence and analysis, he refuses to be tamed. He can easily play 12 or 13, or even fill in on the wing. At 96kg, he is bigger than you might imagine, for the mercurial game he plays.
The story of the New Zealand three-quarter line in the final days of Steve Hansen is a strange one.
In particular, Rieko Ioane and Jack Goodhue — tagged as boom prospects — are struggling for form at a concerningly young age.
And yet the 24-year-old LienertBrown has roared ahead, a testament to the type of player New Zealand produces, and the excellent development which goes on.
Heavyweight contenders like England and South Africa won’t be totally sure how to defend against him because he plays outside of a zone.
The All Blacks of 2019 do sublime and ridiculous at the drop of a hat. But Lienert-Brown is always sublime right now.
He is also a ray of sunshine as rugby infuriates its audience, the world tournament taking place during a transition towards more inherent safety attitudes.
As players struggle with old instincts under the new rules, LienertBrown plays with an instinctive freedom that is being squashed elsewhere.
It is an absolute joy to watch Lienert-Brown play. He could be, should be, a key factor in where the Webb Ellis Cup ends up.