'World-class finisher' offers All Blacks selection solution

In a game of fine margins, the All Blacks right winger Mark Tele’a slipped his way to the try line twice to give the Kiwis an important 24-22 victory against England.

The Blues winger has struggled to solidify his starting spot this year under head coach Scott Robertson, with Sevu Reece and Will Jordan starting many of the games at the right-wing position.

Telea’s performance at Allianz Stadium has likely earned him a chance in Dublin next week, where the All Blacks will have to improve their execution and discipline to manufacture a result against Ireland.

Robertson was impressed with Telea’s ability to break tackles and find the try line.

“Mark Tele’a can score a try can’t he, he can finish, he’s just a world-class finisher who just knows how to get to the try line, slip and beat a couple of people and put the ball down, it’s a gift that he’s got,” Robertson said to media after the Test match at Allianz Stadium.

Tele’a burst onto the scene in 2022 for the All Blacks, after impressive seasons with the Blues in Super Rugby Pacific.

In 2023, Tele’a was named World Breakthrough Player of the Year, capping off a solid year in the All Blacks that included scoring two tries in the opening World Cup game against France.

Tele’a puts his two tries against England down to his teammates finding space for him.

“It’s massive for us and mostly what we were trying to achieve with this tour that we are on, just credit to the boys finding the space for me and I was just trying to utilize it,” Tele’a said to reporters after the All Blacks victory.

It was All Blacks standout loose forward Wallace Sititi who proved the winger with an offload for his first try, one of Sititi’s four offloads in the tight contest.  Tele’a highlighted after the game that when Sititi has the ball, it’s always important to be ready.

“He’s skilful man, all of them are really skilful, when you get offloads like that as a winger you just try to finish it off.

“You just got to stay on around them, credits to Wallace (Sititi) and all of the other boys who are able to do that”.

The All Blacks leadership group urged their team to stay calm and stick to the game plan set by head coach Scott Robertson when England were leading by eight points with 15 minutes to go.

“Don’t go into our shells, try and play, we were doing some good stuff out there, just some missed passes and knock-ons, so it was just keeping the boys’ confidence up and just trying to play the rugby we play.”

Damian McKenzie came on to replace Tele’a after 60 minutes, but after a Beauden Barrett HIA minutes later, Tele’a was back on the right wing before scoring the match-winning try in the 75th minute.

Tele’a knew he had to stay ready, in case anything was to happen to an All Black back.

“They said to stay ready, I didn’t know what was happening upstairs, but I went off and got told to get back on so I was going with the punches”.