What ex-Kiwi players thought of Springboks debutant Moodie

19-year-old Canan Moodie made his springbok debut over the weekend in a crucial test match for the South Africans.

The young flier is the eighth player to occupy the right wing this year. Coach Jacques Nienabar has been forced to test his stocks in the position after another injury to star player Cheslin Kolbe, who suffered a fractured jaw in the July series against Wales.

Following the match, there was much buzz around the winger’s game, in particular his try in which he showed high ball skills and pace to retrieve a contestable kick from Jaden Hendrikse and run 40 meters to score in the corner.

Ex-Crusaders halfback Bryn Hall shared his thoughts on Moodie’s performance during this week’s episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod:

“His biggest strength is that he’s a tall athlete,” Hall said.

“For him to be able to score that try, which I thought was a very pivotal moment in that test match, being able to get up for the ball – and the South Africans went back to that (kicking game), having 31 kicks, being able to have that pressure of the game and build momentum through their kicking.

“He’s also got a bit of speed about him and he’s also got a bit of footwork.

“Any time you can have a debut where you can influence the game and like I said that was a pretty crucial moment, being able to get over Koroibete, from that kick off Hendrikse, it was pretty massive in the test match.”

Moodie’s talent is clear but better yet is the way his skillset works within the Springbok system.

Hall’s co-panellist and ex-Blues hooker James Parsons expanded on the Springboks win and Moodie’s role in it:

“A lot of guys got opportunities, there was a lot of changes,” Parsons said. “But they went back to what they know. We talk about the All Blacks kicking game and the way it manipulated defence, and they (South Africa) were exceptional in that.

“Moodie, the young winger, his try was pretty exceptional.”

The podcast’s stand-in host, Jeff McTainsh, also added to the praise.

“There seems to be a factory in South African rugby for producing good wingers, good outside backs, one just shows up every year on the international scene,” McTainsh said. “19 years of age, he’s a bit of a freak.”

Bryn Hall agreed: “He is, mate, 19 years of age, I can only imagine what I was doing at 19, I wouldn’t have been ready for international rugby, that’s for sure. Let alone premiership rugby in Auckland at that time.

“Just shows the kind of a freak he is and I think even Jake White said in media interviews that he sees him as a centurion, as a 100-cap Springbok.”