Potential All Black enjoys ‘cool compliment’
If Hurricanes centre Billy Proctor had wanted to keep playing it cool this season, he must've got a hell of a shock when Clark Laidlaw turned up the volume and talked about him being a potential All Black.
Laidlaw was effusive in his praise of Proctor after he captained the Hurricanes to a convincing win over the Waratahs in Wellington last weekend, saying if it were up to him the midfielder would be in the
All Blacks squad for the three tests against England and Fiji in July.
That, in turn, sparked conversations around New Zealand about the merits of the in-form Hurricanes No 13; which, of course, means Proctor's every move will be scrutinised when the Hurricanes play the Blues in their top-of-the-table clash in Auckland on Saturday evening.
Laidlaw hasn't been the first coach to sling Proctor into the limelight, and may not be the last.
In late 2022 Wellington coach Leo Crowley said he was shocked Proctor, given his splendid form in the NPC, had been left out of the All Blacks XV squad to tour the northern hemisphere.
There’s a pattern forming here. Proctor is clearly a player of considerable talent.
Proctor said, yes, he was aware of Laidlaw's comments, and the reports that he could follow in the footsteps of older brother Matt who played a test for the All Blacks against Japan in 2018.
“I just focus on playing my best footy for the Hurricanes, that is all I can do,'' Proctor, 24, explained.
“The rest is up to, I don't know, whoever it is to make those decisions. It is out of my control. All I can control is my own performance. That is all I have been focusing on, so see where it goes.''
Matt, also a midfielder, signed with English club Northampton in late 2019. He's now a member of the Rebels squad, possibly looking with envy at his younger sibling and his Hurricanes team, who are at the top of the Super Rugby Pacific leaderboard.
Proctor led the Hurricanes in the absence of Brad Shields last week, and again offered glimpses of his calm temperament. Centre is a difficult enough job as it is without having to take on the responsibility of skipper, but Proctor handled it with relative ease.
Laidlaw noted Proctor makes teammates play better, and added he trains well and doesn't mess up on game day. Proctor had to admit he didn't mind hearing that. “It is a pretty cool compliment,'' he said. “I pride myself in doing my own homework, and I guess knowing the opposition and knowing our system like the back of our hand. Just knowing the spots where I need to be, the spaces where I can get other boys involved, and just have an impact.
“Whether it's me with the ball, or without it. Or me putting other people in space or helping other people on defence, whatever that may be. I pride myself on knowing where I need to be, and trying to do it.''
The defeat to the Brumbies in Canberra on April 27 was a nasty jab to the nose for the previously unbeaten Hurricanes.
They took their frustrations out on the Waratahs, belting them 41-12. Proctor was in the thick of the action, making the right decisions, scoring a try, creating another and did a decent job of liaising with the referee.
Last year then-All Blacks coach Ian Foster used Rieko Ioane and Anton Lienert-Brown as his centres at the World Cup. Braydon Ennor, who can play centre and wing, also played for the All Blacks last year but a serious knee injury ruled him out of contention for the global tournament.