Ian Foster question Fiji's 'low' breakdown strategy
While the All Blacks may have triumphed 57-23 against Fiji in Dunedin last weekend, they certainly weren’t able to comprehensively outplay their Pacific Island opposition, with the breakdown causing many a problem for the home team.
Fiji flanker Johnny Dyer earned five turnovers for his side at the breakdown while midfielders Levani Botia and Waisea Nayacalevu combined for four between them.
Even when the All Blacks were able to maintain possession, the Flying Fijians were able to disrupt and slow down rucks, stagnating attacks and scuppering chances of getting the ball out wide with any regular success.
Ahead of this weekend’s rematch, Ian Foster has suggested his team needs to up their game at the breakdown – but also suggested that the All Blacks weren’t necessarily caught by surprise at how efficient Fiji were.
“It’s what we wanted,” Foster explained. “We wanted a tough, physical game and we were probably a little bit less surprised than many others about what was coming so is it good to get reminded? Yes it is.
“And the good thing is that’s going to be no different to what we’re going to get in the remaining of the test matches we’ve got.”
While the work of the Fijians at the breakdown was commendable, Foster also laid the blame on the All Blacks’ ball-carriers and indicated that’s where the team had focussed most of their attention this week ahead of Saturday’s rematch in Hamilton.
“We’re always looking for improvement everywhere but part of the thing is to diagnose the one thing, if you move the most, going to get the biggest bang for your buck and we think it’s the ball-carrier,” he said.
“We had to improve a number of aspects from last week, there’s no doubt about that. Often the breakdown looks like you get exposed from a physical side but some of it’s a strategy side.
“We’re still trying to get used to where we’re going to make the contact point and if it surprises people then often we get a bit short but that’s all part of us growing our game so overall we got some nice lessons there and we won lots of turnovers as well. It went both ways.
“But I think the main focus is probably on our ball-carrying, more than anything. And often as people get to know what we want and it becomes clear, their instincts take over. Whereas if you get hesitant in that space and the ball-carrier doesn’t do his job then the next role’s quite hard.”
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Following the match, some on social media questioned the legality of some of Fiji’s breakdown work, with defenders often not fully releasing the tackled player, or using their hands to support their own body weight at the ruck.
While those areas were policed quite harshly throughout Super Rugby Aotearoa and Super Rugby AU, old habits started to creep in during the Trans-Tasman competition and perhaps reflected the approach taken to the breakdown in Europe.
Due to Covid, the All Blacks haven’t played a team from Europe since the 2019 World Cup – but the majority of Fiji’s players are based in France, where the breakdown is famously attritrional.
When queried whether coming up against ‘European’ opposition had played a part in the All Blacks’ struggles, Foster was non-commital and suggested that Fiji’s tactics may have been slightly less than conventional.
“There’s probably a little bit of that,” he said. “They were very low at the breakdown last week and we put a lot of questions about how they could do be that low and holding their weight but it’s something that we’ve just got to make sure we’re in there quickly and we dominate that territory.
It's not happened overnight, but Fiji are perhaps one of the best teams in the world when it comes to breakdown warfare. Do the #AllBlacks have the personnel to counter the inevitable assault on Saturday? #NZLvFIJ #FijiRugby
Analysis from Nick Bishop ? https://t.co/AD6X4qNtjm
— The XV Rugby (@TheXV) July 14, 2021
“But hey, it’s a game, the breakdown’s like that every week. It’s not like it’s new. I felt we were still able to get the flow of ball when we really wanted to but there were clearly a couple of situations that we were short.
“It’s not just a Northern Hemisphere thing and it’s something that we’re pretty good at doing normally and in large parts of that game we actually did do pretty well and we showed that when we got it right, we can put a lot of points on them so it’s just a matter of being more consistent through the 80 minutes,” he later added.
The All Blacks have rotated their loose forward trio for this weekend’s match, bringing in Akira Ioane, Ardie Savea and Luke Jacobson. Savea, as a specialist openside flanker first and foremost, should have more luck than Ethan Blackadder did last week in the breakdowns, while Jacobson has also spent time in the No 7 jersey throughout his career.
Fiji, meanwhile, have benched Albert Tuisue for Peceli Yato but it’s the loss of Botia in the midfield that could prove the most damaging to their breakdown heroics.
The rematch between New Zealand and Fiji kicks off at 7:05pm from FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton on Saturday evening.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
1 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
16 Go to comments