Manu is fine at test level, he gets baby sat by the best center NZ rugby league can muster.
The rest of the defensive line is sound also, which can compensate for Manu's poor reads.
Manu makes better decisions at test level because he has a better communicator paired with him and there is more time with less conflicting decision options under pressure (this is by virtue of what the entire D line is doing inside of his position),
So the Kiwis don't fragment like the Warriors.
They don't slide too late.
They don't often have lazy or clocked off players that don't chase out from the inside.
All this preliminary work means Vatuvei ends up defending in a very clear narrow corridor.
Jason Nightingale is a better prototype for a test Winger.
I firmly believe in Wingers as specialist defenders that have Try finishing qualities.
Line breaks are rare out wide now days, block busting centers like Hurrell can't make the Kiwis, even when available, specialist defensive centers that draw and pass are the way to defeat Australia.
Try's are scored either off kicks or by creating space on the edges.
The Kiwis don't win consistently through powerful backs.
The Kiwis are number one at the moment because they consistently keep Australia to twelve points or less.
Defensive players lay the platform for victory for the modern Kiwi game plan, this puts us in the ball park with Australia.
Johnsons forwards give him space, Johnsons speed and footwork creates gaps by virtue of committing defenders, outside of that people score or he scores.
The Kiwis right edge is better than it's left because boring old test legends like Nightingale and his center, plus Proctor....all know to run angles and are players in motion for eighty minutes.
On our left edge you have a great Impact Prop that can smash over in the corner with players on him....not a bad option....but the prototype player that has changed the Kiwis fortunes are all the smart defenders that defend three sets on our goal line in a row....sometimes more.
That is why we win....not through players that can score special Try's or get a roll on in isolation.
Would I pick Manu ?
Absolutely.
Not because he is essential, rather he has qualities that the Kiwis can use.....and more importantly this kiwi line up can afford to defend his defensive flaws.
Were the defensive considerations not an option, I would never pick Manu.
