Nucifora: 'Mealamu is the best'
Thu, 08 May 2008 10:08
Hurricanes hooker Andrew Hore has received all the plaudits this season with many tipping him to take over from Keven Mealamu as the top hooker for the All Blacks.
But Blues coach David Nucifora is having none of it. He still rates his No.2 as the number one hooker in the country and has come out all guns blazing in defence of Mealamu.
Nucifora has been astounded to hear talk of Mealamu being overtaken by Hore and cautioned against such conjecture this week as he "endorsed" all three of his front row forwards as national contenders.
"I have read some things in the media the last few weeks about the hooking position which I find astounding," Nucifora told rugbyheaven.co.nz.
"I don't know what some people have been looking at because Keven Mealamu has been absolutely brilliant for us week in, week out, and how anyone could not think he's the best hooker in New Zealand leaves me dumbfounded," he added.
But Hore has also been superb for the Hurricanes all season. He has scored four tries and has been at given the 'Canes a more rugged look about them.
There is no doubt that both Hore and Mealamu will feature in Graham Henry's All Black plans but it remains to be seen which of the two will get the coveted starting berth.
Nucifora felt his prop Tony Woodcock had more than answered any challenge that may have been laid at his feet by the ridiculous "myth" claims levelled by former Wallaby Andrew Blades.
"Tony Woodcock is playing as well as I've ever seen him play," said Nucifora.
"And take his scrummaging out of that, he's been magnificent around the field and loose. Also John Afoa has been the linchpin of our scrum and has come on in leaps and bounds."
Nucifora was adamant that the experience of his front row should be the pillar around which the Blues' future should be built.
"You want to keep your experienced players. In a competition like this experience is everything," he said.
"You need to hang on to those players because they're worth their weight in gold. They're essential for any team going forward," he emphasised.
On that subject, Nucifora also took a decent dig at New Zealand's contracting system which he felt had to change.
"There are some things that are challenging, and the number of players leaving New Zealand, and this team in particular, is one of them," he said.
"For long-term planning you need to have better control of the whole contracting system.
"The sooner the contracting system changes here where franchises have control of that, and are then able to plan for the future, the better. That's something that if it's not being looked at already I'd be very surprised," concluded the outspoken Nucifora.
