1
Which All Blacks side will emerge from the Eden Park locker rooms on Saturday night?
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Will it be the imperious New Zealand of recent years, hell-bent on extending their 21-match winning streak over Australia in Auckland?
Or will it be the fumbly, undisciplined team from last week’s Bledisloe Cup opener, which took half an hour to get going?
The answer will decide whether the Wallabies can keep the trans-Tasman series alive for game three in Perth later this month.
New Zealand’s start to the series was a shocker, including the first four penalties of the game and scrappiness at the breakdown.
Their early blushes were saved by two factors – Australia’s lineout ineptitude and the wind at their backs allowing Richie Mo’unga to launch penalties from near the halfway line.
Those kicks inched the poor All Blacks to 9-0 lead they wouldn’t give up, but the blunders didn’t go unmissed by Kiwi great John Kirwan.
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Kirwan called it the All Blacks’ “worst 30 minutes in the last five years”.
“Straight into penalties. Straight into handling errors. I’ve never seen them like that,” he told Sky Sport NZ.
It is lost on no one that New Zealand eventually clicked into gear, powering to a 33-25 win.
But the performance gave some credence to Andrew Kellaway’s throwaway jibe earlier this week that the All Blacks “aura has worn off a bit”.
Kiwi commentators have been wondering similar for some time.
All Blacks and Chiefs star Damian McKenzie has reportedly signed a deal with Japanese club Tokyo Sungoliath that will see him miss the 2022 Super Rugby season. #AllBlacks #SuperRugby #JapanRugbyLeagueOne #Chiefs #TokyoSungoliath https://t.co/NzX4fYRY5B
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 13, 2021
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After their inglorious World Cup semi-final exit in 2019, New Zealand has flattered to deceive under new coach Ian Foster.
The maintenance of Bledisloe Cup supremacy last year was simply expected, especially with world No 7 Australia in a rebuilding phase, and the Rugby Championship win was diminished without South Africa.
Captain Sam Whitelock said he was unmoved by media criticism because he didn’t read it.
He did, however, raise his eyebrows on hearing Kirwan’s assessment.
“Everyone’s allowed their opinion. That’s obviously his,” Whitelock said.
“He’s an ex-player. He knows sometimes what you’re trying to do takes a while to wear teams down.”
Whitelock admitted the first 15 minutes of the test had been a focus in their Monday review.
“Everyone wants to start well. No one wants to not start well,” he said.
“We’d love to start the test match at a real high intensity.”
All Blacks apathy might also be setting in among Kiwis.
Ticket sales for the second Bledisloe test, which is also the Rugby Championship opener, are well short of last week’s sellout.
Eden Park may only be half full.
“Hopefully it’s more full than empty. The support we do have will be nice and loud,” Whitelock said.
Comments on RugbyPass
Good decision, very good player but not international quality. But so was Jamison Gibson Park …..
3 Go to commentsLoose forwards always look good going forward and winning. It’s the same loose forwards for the Crusaders and the Canes this year as last year. Too much of the shiny new things getting noticed here while older consistent ones getting bagged. It’s early days. Calm the farm.
5 Go to commentsThanks Nick, and on the money. We tend to be apathetic until something REALLY BAD happens, then we aren't! At least this applies to the Reb players and coach, if not the spectators. They seem to be getting very quick ball at times. Have they altered something, or is it just all of the skills coming together at the right time? It seems almost the opposite of the Reds, who started the season with quick ball, but haven't been showing that in the last 3 losing games. Is it attitude (McDermott hasn't looked “right” to me for 3 weeks), or something else?
29 Go to commentsGood summary. As said, Sevu Reece has been electrifying for the Crusaders. Great try and he has been everywhere. Amazing he is now equal with Caleb Ralph , club record of 52 tries for the Crusaders. That record beckons. Good to see Dallas McLeod getting regular starts at last. A big few weeks are ahead.
5 Go to commentsGood article/interview.As was said Christian Lio-Willie was barnstorming when he came on for the Crusaders. What happened at the end, self-explanatory.Captain fantastic Scott Barrett is due back soon as well, once they are back from Aussie. Great to see Ethan Blackadder back last week.
1 Go to commentsYou must have been watching one team, Andrew - and even then you missed the brightest star in the Chiefs pack - Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 2 turnovers, genuine line-out presence and grunt around the field, and the soft hands of a back.
5 Go to commentsHaha what a crock of sh!t these headlines are. Moorby’s best year was that first. Still doesn’t seem to have the same game about him as when he was fresh but has bounced back well this season to be playing consistent tight accurate footy
3 Go to commentsIt’s even dumber than Bernard Foley not kicking the penalty to touch in the Melbourne Bledisloe in 2022.
3 Go to commentsYes, they are traveling well but it’s early days. The Chiefs were in front with 20 to go while they snatched a last minute win v the Reds. Keep calm.
1 Go to commentsThe failure of the Irish system / rugby playing style to produce their own backs has them looking elsewhere for innovation and flair - not that Jordie has much flair. He’s a converted fullback. The Canes have plenty of other younger options.
9 Go to comments1.Watch Wallace Sititi be the wild card AB. A genuine full time no 8 2. Luke J like Sotutu has not delivered. 3. Chiefs have all the right cattle but badly miss the leadership of Webber. LJ is about as unconvincing as Sam Cane when under the pump. They had the winning of that game in the second half then fell apart.
5 Go to commentsYes the Rebels are showing signs of life because they are literally playing for their live -lihoods and thanks to their Australian attack coach. However they are still playing an essentially dull boring south african style for the rest of the time. And Geoff Parling must be the most useless lineout coach ever. Worse than Steve Hansen even. Interestingly we are starting to see more cheap shots and attempts to get away with cheating by Australian players, now they are being influenced by Joe Schmidt. It was exactly the same when Rennie started out as Wallaby coach and thru his tenure. Trying to teach Australians to play like kiwis doesn’t work, as the last 20 years has conclusively demonstrated. Especially when we are not as good at it as kiwis. Which of course is the whole idea …..
29 Go to commentsGreat signing, not sure where he’ll fit in though. As for him ‘playing alongside RG Snyman, that’s highly debatable given the likelyhood that the latter will spend most of the season on sick leave.
9 Go to commentsWowee!
9 Go to commentsEvery team that has played a game in Africa this Champions Cup season is already out of the competition - including the SA teams. Could be a concidence.
30 Go to commentsthat should offer some experiences for Jordie.
9 Go to commentsJust remember: He is not a winger. Took Ian Foster 2 years to figure that out.
9 Go to commentsExcellent article, Nick. We (your RP colleague Brett McKay and my 8/9 Combo cohost), are going to have LSL on our podcast later this month. He has shown consistent excellence as a leader and lock. I’ll chat with you offline about a line of questioning if you have time. H
29 Go to commentsSo no Irish fan or journalist suggested JGP was as good as DuPont. Then even the guy who supposedly did is from Wales and said JGP would be the best around if it was t for DuPont. Right, so what is this story about again
19 Go to commentsGreat news for the URC. Leinster will always attract top talent. Another huge name added to their stable
9 Go to comments