Paul Lewis: Marshall the mouth still the man

Justin Marshall's broadside, published in the Herald on Sunday last week, opened an unwelcome Pandora's box for Graham Henry and fellow selectors.

The eve of the Lions tour is not the time to have one of the finest of All Black halfbacks blazing off about selection, claiming lack of communication and making "I may not play" noises.

It raises two issues: 1) Who is the best halfback for the All Blacks? 2) Is there a man management problem within the All Black camp?

Graham Henry is a smart man and an incisive coach. The coup he and his selectors engineered against France last year was one of the most striking in All Black history. At all levels - selection, game plan and execution - this was a creative and spirited demolition of one of the world's leading teams.

But Henry also has a communications question against him from his time with the 2001 Lions in Australia. Marshall, like Matt Dawson and Austin Healey on that tour (both halfbacks, interestingly), has been known to lead with his mouth - his boredom with Tri Nations rugby just one of his pronouncements that made us all look sideways and think: "Gee, Justin, if you don't like it, then ... " How Henry deals with this situation will be vital for him.

That aside, what a pleasure that Marshall does speak out. You may not always agree with him. You might think he sometimes hoses down the cowshed before milking as opposed to after. But at least he actually talks.

In rugby's automaton, controlled and disciplined communications world, such freedom of expression is a rare and beautiful thing.

For a moment, just a moment, we get to touch the inner being of a top rugby player and get to hear what he really thinks.

Which brings me back to the point. Marshall's competitive fires smoulder deep within until he can't help but release some pressure. That's part of the reason why he has been the best halfback in New Zealand by a country mile this year.

Yet there are doubts about his selection. Kelleher played very well in the French test but it was only one match, where the All Blacks were also hugely on top.

If there are doubts about Marshall, they centre on his passing. Specifically, serving the flat backline - yes, folks, it never went away, it's just that the All Blacks don't talk about it any more to avoid the public debate and hassle.

There is no doubt - Marshall cranks his pass. He needs a backlift unlike previous All Black halfbacks, who flicked the ball out with little or no cranking. Marshall also often looks for an option before passing.

Kelleher, on the other hand, offers a bruising and muscular game and is quicker of pass and a more natural clearer of the ball than Marshall. At the level these guys play, that second or two can make all the difference to the backs.

The Lions will also have good defence at the 10m circle around ruck and maul - the area where Marshall is at his most dangerous - and they will be looking to nullify and harass him. Marshall is not at his best at clearing the ball when under pressure from a side as big and focused as the Lions will be.

So that's the rugby dilemma. Do you stick with the warrior - the guy whose running, defending, support play and plain old-fashioned steel can lift a whole team?

Or do you go for the guy who can get the ball to your greatest weapon - your backs - faster?

For my money (and I'm a convert; I used to holler for Kelleher) you go for Marshall. For better or worse - and there will be some worse - he's still the best halfback and it still makes sense to field your best side.

I also remember Kelleher in a Super 12 game against the Brumbies last year when he was targeted by Owen Finegan, George Smith and George Gregan.

They set out to get him and they did - Kelleher retiring from the fray in the second half, having been roughed up and put off his stroke.

In October last year, ahead of the selection of the touring team to Europe, from which Marshall was omitted in the name of development, I wrote: "I'm like everyone else. I too have held my head in my hands when Marshall has thrown one of his low-flying pavlovas in the general direction of the motorway.

"But he has proven himself many times over at the top level. And who was the halfback when the All Black backs were scoring all those tries under Mitchell? Why, that'd be that Marshall fella.

"It's not just about the flat backline. It's not a backline that gives a team grunt and go-forward. That'd be those eight big uncles up front."

Haven't changed my mind.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY