All Blacks legend Zinzan Brooke has accused Lions number eight Taulupe Faletau of not having enough ‘mongrel’ to take on New Zealand.
Brooke should know a thing or two about the number eight position having played 58 times there for the All Blacks and being regarded as one of the best rugby players of all time.
Lions coach Warren Gatland named Faletau as only one of two specialist number eights in his side to tour New Zealand along with Faletau’s cousin Billy Vunipola.
Faletau is in good form having scored a hat-trick for Bath against Gloucester on Sunday. But Brooke, who started three Tests against the Lions in 1993, doesn’t believe he possesses the necessary aggression to unnerve a side like the All Blacks.
“Someone who I do have reservations about is Welsh loose forward Taulupe Faletau,’ Brooke told The Daily Mail. “It’s not that he isn’t a good player, he just isn’t a key player.
“He’s one of these guys that is pretty much good at everything, but doesn’t have that mongrel edge.
“Quick lesson for anyone playing the All Blacks – if you don’t have that mongrel edge, you get found out pretty quickly against the best team in the world.”
Meanwhile, the former All Blacks number eight believes that based on Scotland’s impressive Six Nations campaign, more of their players should have been selected in the Lions squad.
“Scotland had a bloody good campaign and had wins over Ireland, Wales and Italy,” said the 52-year-old.
“Somehow, they end up only contributing two players, while Wales make up a massive 12 players in the squad? If you’re a fan of Scotland, it’s got to be disappointing.”
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