All Blacks on notice as stakes rise for Bledisloe Cup clashes
By Patrick McKendry, NZ Herald
To the Bledisloe Cup, then, and hopefully, from an All Blacks perspective, significant improvements in the team’s collective performance for the retention of the second most cherished trophy in their collection.
Nothing will focus All Black minds more than Wednesday’s squad announcement and the requirement for the 31 remaining players to farewell those who won’t prepare for the first test against the Wallabies in Perth a week on Saturday. The return match is at Eden Park on August 17.
Steve Hansen and his fellow coaches will hope that extra edge, match fitness and game understanding gained from the runouts against Argentina and South Africa will clear the way for a more cohesive attack; and the ability to actually catch the ball will help enormously with that, too.
There’s not too much wrong with the All Blacks’ defence; and credit must go to assistant coach Scott McLeod here as he received more than his share of criticism from the public and some pundits last year after succeeding Wayne Smith.
The concession of two tries in two tests isn’t a bad result and the one scored by Herschel Jantjies in the final minute in Wellington at the weekend was unlucky. Cheslin Kolbe’s speculative kick could have gone anywhere and it was unfortunate for Aaron Smith that it bounced a little high for him and into the hands of Jantjies.
The All Blacks will almost certainly name their strongest line-up against the Wallabies for a test in front of a crowd of more than 60,000 at a sold-out stadium.
Brodie Retallick won’t feature until the World Cup at the earliest due to his dislocated shoulder, and Sonny Bill Williams will drop to the Mitre 10 Cup where he will probably play two games for Counties Manukau – possibly a pre-season match in Katikati on Saturday and the round one fixture against Taranaki at Pukekohe – in order to improve his match fitness.
But elsewhere Hansen will go with his big guns and that will provide further evidence of his thinking for the first World Cup pool game against the Springboks and following knockout matches.
Asked what he expected from the Wallabies, who lost their first Rugby Championship game against the Springboks in South Africa before edging the Pumas 16-10 in Brisbane at the weekend, he replied:”A torrid battle. We always have great games against them – it will be a fast game.”
With Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett finally finding their rhythm just after halftime at Westpac Stadium, the pace at which the All Blacks played was noticeably high. The Boks were stretched to breaking point. More of the same but without the handling errors will be the plan in Perth.
“Sometimes when you’re trying new things you’re having to think about how you’re doing them,” Hansen said in defence of his players, and in particular his forwards, a day after the 16-16 draw. “In a high-speed game when there’s a high-speed defensive line coming at you, you haven’t got time to think about it. You have to be instinctive.
“When you slow down to think about it some of your motor skills go. Sometimes your lungs go pretty quick too and then your skills go. Some of the big boys last night really felt the pinch of the speed of the game because we asked them to do a lot.”
This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and was republished again with permission.
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Comments on RugbyPass
“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to comments