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'Our biggest problem': Have All Blacks learned their lesson?
By Patrick McKendry, NZ Herald
In the unlikely event that South Africa beat the All Blacks by 15 points or more tomorrow, Steve Hansen’s men will lose their place as the world’s top-ranked team, an honour they have held since 2009, but not to the Springboks – to Wales.
Significantly, Wales haven’t beaten New Zealand since 1953, so one could argue all day about the merits of the ranking system but what is not in question is the threat the Boks, ranked fifth and on their way up, will provide at Westpac Stadium and as the All Blacks’ first World Cup pool opponents in Yokohama on September 21.
After beating the All Blacks 36-34 in Wellington last year – the All Blacks’ first loss at home to the South Africans since 2009 – and losing 32-30 in the return test in Pretoria, the Boks have travelled here confident they have the ability to beat the current best team in the world and, significantly under coach Rassie Erasmus, the right game plan to do so.
They won last year by taking every chance presented to them – and Anton Lienert-Brown and Jordie Barrett were guilty of a couple of high-profile errors – but they never stopped playing with ambition and in the end their defence on their own line was remarkable as the All Blacks crashed against it like waves on a rock.
It was a turning point in their development but also the All Blacks, who turned down two kickable penalties late in the test when chasing it and are unlikely to do so again under Steve Hansen.
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Beauden Barrett could have thrown the ball over the bar with 13 minutes remaining which would have narrowed the score to 32-36, but instead the All Blacks went for a scrum which came to nothing, an overly attacking attitude which was openly criticised by Hansen, who pointed the finger at all of his leaders.
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“Our game management was next door to zero… that was our biggest problem,” Hansen said 10 months ago before making a pointed reference to the 2007 World Cup quarter-final disaster against France.
“I think back to 2007 as the last time I can think of the game that we so poorly managed. It was the pressure of the scoreboard and the pressure of the event and this time the same thing happened.
“We got really individualistic and tried to do it all by ourselves. All we had to do was take a big breath and maybe take a shot at goal in the 66th minute and that gives you three points and maybe get a try and that puts you in front. That’s one example.
“A dropped goal wouldn’t be bad either would it, and we couldn’t do one of those in 2007 because it’s not the thing that the five-eight at that time is used to doing. It’s not one that Beauden [Barrett] has done, I don’t think he’s ever got one [in tests].”
Significantly, Barrett attempted one in Pretoria during the dramatic 32-30 victory for the visitors, which featured two converted tries for Scott Barrett and Ardie Savea in the final five minutes. Barrett’s shot, taken under a penalty advantage, missed, but it proved Hansen’s point had reached receptive ears.
What are the chances we see a few attempts from first-five Richie Mo’unga against the Boks tomorrow?
After this test there are only three to go until the World Cup, so the practice certainly wouldn’t hurt and while this test is lower on Hansen’s priority list than the next month’s two Bledisloe Cup fixtures, there is a world ranking to uphold, last year’s result to put right and a World Cup to prepare for.
It goes without saying that another defeat to South Africa would undermine confidence, but should Wales attain the No 1 spot after this weekend it would cause all sorts of questions to be asked. Execution is key, but so is game management.
This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and was republished with permission
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Comments on RugbyPass
Should've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to comments