Forward pack selections give 'good clue' into key All Blacks objective

The All Blacks will roll out a brand new backline against Namibia in Toulouse, but a relatively similar forward pack. It’s a choice that lays bare the team’s need to improve up front.

There’s no escaping the reality of the last two outings for Ian Foster’s team.

The head coach watched on as the Springboks sucked the life out of the New Zealand attack and denied the Kiwis any chance to play their game. France’s defence was also up to the challenge and the World Cup hosts’ game management proved superior in the end.

The New Zealand identity has always been rooted in an expansive style of play, but running rugby from the men in black has been less and less common in recent seasons.

“I think it’s there,” Foster told reporters when asked whether that identity needed to be rediscovered.

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“The South African test was in between a championship and a World Cup, and there were a lot of variables in that game that delivered that performance.

“I think there were enough signs (against France) that we understand our game. We’ve got to do some more adaptation to conditions. We still want to play, but we know in those big games you’ve got to get some basic things right.

“You’ve got to get your set piece right. If you start to creak there, or you misinterpret what the ref is wanting and you’re not quick to adapt, then that generates pressure. That was one of the big lessons from that France game.

“We’ve got to get that right. I’ve probably given you a pretty good clue about what’s a big focus for us on Friday. That probably reflects in the selection of sticking with the four props that we used. We need to fix up some areas there.

“I think once you get consistency in those big rock parts of your game, the rest is sitting there ready to go. But we’ve got to show that.”

Interpreting the referee was also a lesson mentioned following the South Africa Test at Twickenham. Both games saw the All Blacks penalised at scrum time on multiple occasions.

As Foster referenced, the selected team for this weekend features the same four props as last weekend’s contest, just with Ofa Tu’ungafasi replacing Ethan de Groot in the starting unit.

It’s the same trend in the locks and loose forwards, with the same players named but with a different bench make-up.

If the forwards are able to provide a better platform against Namibia, then they can deploy the game plan that Foster says is “sitting there ready to go”.