'Jason Ryan was yelling': Barnes on All Blacks' costly late-game leadership calls

All Blacks assistant coach Neil Barnes has backed the on-field leadership in the final moments of their 35-28 defeat to Wales in Cardiff, despite a difference of opinion in the coaching box.

Wales’ heroic defence held on to help beat the All Blacks for the first time in 73 years, making 348 tackles in the process, compared to the visitors’ 134.

Steve Tandy’s side started both halves on the front foot, making the All Blacks pay for poor discipline and costly errors with ball in hand.

But as resilient and passionate as the Wales defence was, the visitors had their chances, struggling to finish their countless opportunities inside Wales’ 22-metre line.

During the final 20 minutes, the All Blacks earned several penalties, opting to take a quick tap instead of a scrum or a lineout drive.

With the lineout clearly having issues, on-field leaders Beauden Barrett, Scott Barrett, and Richie Mo’unga looked elsewhere.

Barnes admitted the coaching box had different opinions on which option to take to those on the field, especially scrum coach Jason Ryan.

“There was actually a message at halftime that we wanted to go to the lineout drive a bit more,” Barnes told reporters in Cardiff.

“But sometimes when you have a penalty five meters out from the goal line, you’re running a risk of not even winning that ball when you go to a lineout.

“But yeah, the last one in particular, I know Jason Ryan was yelling out that we should be going to our driving maul.”

The All Blacks forwards coach said he would have gone to the lineout, but trusted his leaders out on the field.

“When you start with the penalty was five meters out from the line, then it went back to nine or ten meters, and the leaders on the field decided to do what they’re doing, and we will run with that.

“But personally, yeah, I would have gone to the lineout maul.”

Barnes said the All Blacks players will respond, and that the group is hurting after a painful defeat.

“It will happen now; it’s happened,” Barnes said.

“Our dressing room is not happy; it’s not a place where an All Blacks team wants to be, so I’m telling you now, come next weekend it will be a damn sight better for this.

“On their day [Wales], every day you prepare for a Test match, you have to prepare for the other team to come out at their best, and you need to be at their best.

“That’s the difference between World Champions and those who beg to be. We have to be better.”