How the All Blacks reacted to Uruguay's 'same scoreline' loss to France
Uruguay made a statement in their opening match of the Rugby World Cup, pushing the tournament hosts right into the last quarter until France pulled away with two late tries.
It was a performance that made the All Blacks, Los Teros’ next opponent, wary.
Since that match, Uruguay have split their Pool A contests, having fallen after leading Italy at halftime before out-lasting Namibia.
The France Test though is what has put the All Blacks on edge.
“We are playing against a team that basically had the same scoreline against France as what we did,” All Blacks head coach Ian Foster told media ahead of the final round of pool play. “And that’s in the last month.
“I am not trying to talk them up falsely but they lost to France by the same scoreline we did. That deserves a lot of respect and if you watch that game, these guys, I love their attitude. I think they’re a really passionate rugby team and if we’re not in the house, then we are going to struggle. That’s a fact we’ve got to deal with.
“For us, we are at our best when we are on edge. Sometimes our opponent puts us on edge, sometimes the situation puts you on edge but at all times your own internal standards have to be the edge that really matters the most.”
Scrum coach Greg Feek echoed those sentiments on the eve of the match.
“As a team, we were sitting watching that game. Obviously, we were curious to see how they went,” he said. “That was part of what got us excited and made us go, ‘we can’t get complacent in this tournament against anyone we play’.
“We talked about it the other day, how many turnovers they get at breakdowns, how physical they are and even some of their backs, quite electric too. So, we’ve done our homework. We have to.”
New Zealand’s loss to France was the first pool-stage loss the country has suffered at a World Cup and reports suggest it added a combative edge to team training.
Pushes and shoves were reported at a feisty training camp in Bordeaux during the team’s bye week. The 96-17 win over Italy that followed would imply the intensity of training had served the team well.
Feek said the vibe in training had evened out into a clinical focus.
“So, at training at the end we do some skill blocks and the boys do some work-ons… and even in those, there’s the focus, the intensity in some of those drills. It shows they are really trying to get that little bit extra to prove themselves, you know.
“The good thing about that is you’ve got that competitiveness, but you’ve also got the guys that are competing for spots helping each other. When you see the boys working together like that, wanting each other to get better, it proves, I suppose, where we sit with everything. That gets me excited, the boys get excited and we know that whoever gets the jersey is going to do the business.”
Having ruthlessly put to rest any thoughts of an upset against Italy, the New Zealand side says building on that momentum is their key ambition.
“From last week, the standard that we set around a number of areas, getting some continuity with that, first and foremost. That in itself will give the boys confidence, will cement a few things, so we will get some more rhythm going.”
Comments on RugbyPass
guys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
1 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
227 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
3 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
86 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
29 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
227 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
227 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
19 Go to comments